DEER PARK, Texas – A 20-year-old man from Pasadena is facing serious trouble after allegedly selling a handgun to a 17-year-old, who then brought the weapon to school just three days later.
The incident happened on December 11 at Deer Park High School – South Campus. According to court records, the school resource officer received an anonymous tip that a student might have a gun on campus. Acting quickly, the officer searched the student’s belongings and found a 9mm handgun tucked inside the teen’s backpack.
The 17-year-old was immediately arrested and charged with unlawful carrying of a weapon in a prohibited place—in this case, his high school.
But that’s not where the story ends. Investigators dug deeper and checked the teenager’s phone and bank records. That’s when they uncovered a payment of $399.91 made through Zelle, a money transfer app, to Jesus Emillo Rodriguez, a 20-year-old man.
Text messages between the teen and Rodriguez showed that the sale happened just three days before the student brought the gun to school. Now, Rodriguez is in hot water, too. He’s been charged with unlawful transfer of a weapon to a child and is currently wanted by authorities.
This incident highlights how quickly things can escalate and why safety in schools remains such a high priority for communities. For now, police are on the lookout for Rodriguez, while the teen faces his own legal consequences for bringing a weapon into a place where it should never be—school.
