A former Texas middle school teacher, Adriana Rullan, 30, has been sentenced to 33 years in prison after a Webb County jury found her guilty of continuous sexual abuse of a child younger than 14.
The jury also handed down concurrent sentences of 10 years for indecency with a child by sexual contact and 13 years for an improper relationship between an educator and a student. Rullan was additionally ordered to pay $20,000 in fines.
The verdict followed a two-day trial in the 341st District Court. Prosecutors presented testimony from six witnesses and numerous exhibits, including text messages, photographs, and video recordings, to support the charges.
During the sentencing phase, the victim, who was 13 at the time of the abuse, told the jury that the acts had cost him his friendships, his sense of self, and nearly his life. The victim's mother also addressed the jury, attributing her son's depression and anxiety to Rullan's actions and describing the emotional impact on their family. She stated that Rullan was manipulative and should not be allowed to harm another child.
The jury reached their guilty verdicts after deliberating for less than two hours.
Rullan was employed at Antonio Gonzalez Middle School in Laredo, Texas. The investigation began on November 27, 2023, when the victim's parents reported allegations of an inappropriate relationship between a student and a teacher at the school to the United Independent School District Police Department.
A forensic examination of the victim's cellphone uncovered electronic communications that documented the relationship and provided significant evidence for the charges, according to the Webb County District Attorney’s Office. Rullan was arrested the following month and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
It is not immediately clear if Rullan plans to appeal the sentence.