3 teens charged in alleged sexual assaults at Harris County private school

HOUSTON - Three former student-athletes from a West Houston private school are facing felony charges following a law enforcement investigation into alleged sexual assaults and harassment in campus locker rooms, restrooms, and team buses.

According to court records filed in Harris County District Court, 18-year-old Landon Bennett, 17-year-old Jace Burrell, and 19-year-old Liam Mischner have been charged in connection with incidents occurring during the 2025–2026 school year.

Bennett and Burrell are each charged with three counts of sexual assault of a child, a second-degree felony. Mischner faces two counts of the same felony charge.

Court Appearance & Defense Denial

What we know:

Landon Bennett appeared in Harris County courtroom, where a judge set his bond at $75,000. Bennett has since posted bond and was released under strict conditions, including orders to have no contact with the alleged victims or the school.

Speaking after the hearing, Bennett’s defense attorney, Mark Bennett, denied the charges:

"This is a categorically a false allegation against Mr. Bennett and we intend to fight it and we intend to win. It’s an extremely serious charge but it’s so easy to make a false serious charge against somebody. You can get them arrested and forced to make bond. This is an example of how easy that is to do for there to be a story made up with no corroboration, just witnesses who get together and tell a story and somebody gets into very very serious, expensive trouble because of it."

Court records indicate co-defendant Liam Mischner is also out on bond. As of Tuesday, court documents show 17-year-old Jace Burrell has not yet been taken into custody.

Court Documents Detail Pattern of Abuse

The backstory:

The Briarwood School, located in West Houston, specializes in educating children with learning differences such as dyslexia and ADHD, with annual tuition around $32,000 a year.

This investigation began in April 2026 after a sophomore student approached the school’s Dean of Students and Athletic Director to report a pattern of abuse that occurred throughout the football and basketball seasons.

HPD investigators and Harris County Precinct 5 Constable deputies interviewed multiple students and reviewed forensic evaluations conducted at the Children's Assessment Center. Court records detail the following allegations outlined by victims and student witnesses:

• Physical Assault & Intimidation: Victims told investigators that upperclassmen repeatedly pinned younger students—primarily freshmen — against locker room walls. One 15-year-old victim described incidents where he was lifted off the ground or held against a wall while being subjected to unwanted digital penetration through his clothing.
• Pre-Game "Rituals" & Threats: Charging documents state that older athletes forced younger players into simulated sexual acts termed "pre-game rituals" in the locker room. Victims reported that the suspects told younger students they "can't wait to rape you" and threatened violence if anyone reported the abuse.
• Locker Room & Bus Incidents: Witnesses told police that incidents occurred in athletic restrooms, locker room showers, and on team buses traveling to away games. One student witness reported changing inside his personal vehicle to avoid entering the locker room due to the behavior of the upperclassmen.

Charging documents identify two primary victims, aged 14 and 16 at the time the offenses began, though student witnesses indicated additional victims were too fearful of retaliation to step forward.

School Response

What they're saying:

In a statement provided to FOX 26, Lisa Landi, Interim Head of School at The Briarwood School, confirmed that campus administration took immediate action when notified:

"We have notified our community about the recent arrests of two former students. These charges are in connection with allegations that were reported to the School last spring. We have cooperated fully with law enforcement throughout their investigation and continue to do so.

The accused students were removed from campus last spring and were not permitted to return to campus. Given that this is an ongoing case, we cannot provide additional information at this time because we do not want to interfere with the current work of law enforcement.

The safety and wellbeing of our students remain our highest priority. We do not tolerate behavior by any student that compromises the safety or well-being of another student, and we take these issues very seriously."

The cases have been assigned to the 208th District Court. 

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