Judge Keeps Ex-Cotulla ISD Technology Chief in Custody Ahead of Child Pornography Trial

A federal judge has ruled that a former Cotulla Independent School District technology director must stay in custody until his trial on a child pornography charge, concluding that no set of release conditions would sufficiently protect the community or guarantee his appearance in court.

Joseph Yanez, 28, of Pearsall, is charged with possession of child pornography, according to records filed in the Southern District of Texas. He served as the district's director of technology from January 2019 until he resigned in June 2026.

In a four-page detention order, U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian C. Bajew found that the evidence against Yanez was strong, that the offense involves a minor victim and that a conviction would carry a lengthy prison term. The judge also concluded that releasing him would pose a serious danger to a person or to the community.

The order pointed to Yanez's professional background. Court records show he spent seven years as the district's technology director and three years before that as a technology support specialist for another school district. The judge said his training and education give him more specialized knowledge than others facing similar charges. The judge also noted that, if released, Yanez would live near several public and private schools.

Yanez's family had tried to address concerns about his access to technology by removing all electronic devices from the home and having Spectrum internet service cancelled. The judge acknowledged those efforts but said they could not outweigh the other factors weighing against release.

According to court records, the case grew out of a March report to the Laredo Child Exploitation Task Force from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's CyberTipline. Information obtained from X, formerly Twitter, and from internet providers led investigators to several IP addresses, one of which was assigned to the Cotulla ISD Technology Building in the 700 block of Center Street. A Google summons tied an email address linked to the X account to multiple accounts, including one in Yanez's name and another using a Cotulla ISD domain.

Federal agents carried out search warrants in April at Yanez's home and at his office in the technology building, seizing his cellphone and other electronics. A forensic examination of the phone recovered 32 videos and 738 images consistent with child sexual abuse material, court records state.

In a statement signed by Superintendent Ramiro Nava, the district said it learned of a federal investigation involving Yanez in April and placed him on administrative leave on April 10. He was told not to return to district property and later resigned, effective June 30. The district said it had not been given details of the investigation and only learned of the allegations after the Laredo Morning Times reported Yanez's arrest on Oct. 13. It directed questions about the criminal case to the appropriate authorities.

The district said Yanez oversaw its technology systems but "did not have direct one-to-one contact with students." It added that it "remains committed to prioritizing the safety of our students and employees and will fully cooperate with the federal investigation." As of Thursday, court records showed no trial date had been set.