TEXARKANA, Texas–A former Texas High School band director allegedly gave a male student a credit card and a laptop computer and offered to pay him for sex.
Brandon Neil Sams, 46, is facing state and federal charges related to alleged misconduct involving the boy. The boys parents reported their suspicion that Sams was “grooming” their son to school administrators on Sept. 26, prompting a call to police, according to a probable cause affidavit.
The parents provided an officer with a debit card and a credit card which Sams allegedly gave the boy to use and showed text messages on the boy’s phone allegedly sent by Sams using Whats App in which he speaks of “gay for pay.” Sams allegedly gave the student a laptop computer in exchange for a sexually graphic photo, the affidavit said.
Sams allegedly became “visibly nervous” when asked if he would allow an officer to examine his phone. While the officer was out of the room making arrangements to acquire a search warrant for Sams’ phone, Sams allegedly left the building.
When the officer approached Sams in the parking lot and told him he was not free to leave, Sams allegedly fled. The Texarkana Arkansas Police Department and Texarkana Texas Police Department assisted Texarkana Independent School District police in locating Sams at his residence in the 1300 block of Hudson Place where he was arrested for felony evading arrest.
Sams allegedly told Arkansas-side detectives that he had thrown his phone out the passenger-side window of his car while traveling on Interstate 30. Officers with a K9 unit searched the area but were unable to find the phone. TAPD officers acquired a warrant for Sams’ home but were unable to locate the device there either.
Sams has been charged with improper relationship between educator and student, evading arrest and tampering with evidence in Bowie County. His bonds total $70,000 on those charges.
Sams has been charged at the federal level with enticement or coercion of a juvenile and with obstruction of justice. Sams waived the issue of detention at an initial appearance Oct. 7 in federal court in Texarkana.
Sams faces 10 years to life in federal prison if convicted of coercion and enticement of a minor and up to 20 years if convicted of obstruction, according to court records. If convicted in Bowie County of improper relationship between educator and student, Sams faces two to 20 years in a Texas prison.
