North Texas high school athletic director arrested on child exploitation charges
A North Texas public school coach and athletic director was recently arrested by the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office on charges related to child exploitation.
Andrew Harvey, who works for the Howe Independent School District as the head football coach and athletic director at Howe High School, faces charges of solicitation of prostitution involving a person under the age of 18, online solicitation of a minor/sexual conduct, and the sale, distribution, or display of harmful material to a minor, according to jail records.
His arrest was part of an undercover investigation by Tarrant County’s Human Trafficking and Internet Crimes Against Children Unit. Authorities said that during the sting operation, an undercover officer posed as a child online and was contacted by Harvey, who believed that he was speaking with a minor. Harvey arranged a meeting with the undercover officer on Monday, June 23, and was arrested when he arrived at the location, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Officials with the school district, located in Grayson County about 60 miles north of Dallas, said they were made aware of the arrest on June 24. As a result, Harvey was placed on administrative leave and is no longer allowed on district property, nor is he permitted to contact students and staff.
Howe ISD Superintendent Kevin Wilson said in a statement that the school district is cooperating fully with law enforcement and is committed to transparency as the case develops.
“Howe ISD recognizes the sensitivity of any incidents that involve a child and will proceed with the highest level of transparency and caution,” the release said.
The district said that Harvey was hired in June 2022, and that he had passed fingerprint background check that looks for criminal history through the FBI and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Harvey, 35, of Rhome, was released from jail on a $35,000 bond on Tuesday, June 24. It’s unclear whether he has obtained a defense attorney to represent him in the case.
This story was originally published June 27, 2025 at 1:21 PM.