Three firefighters associated with the Howe Volunteer Fire Department have been arrested following an investigation into allegations that a 16-year-old junior firefighter was sexually abused by multiple members of the department during 2022.

According to arrest affidavits, the allegations were reported to Howe police in May 2025 by the former junior firefighter, whose identity was redacted in court records. The investigation was later handled with assistance from the Texas Rangers.

David Perez-Glass, 33, was charged with three counts of sexual assault of a child. According to the affidavits, the complainant told investigators Perez-Glass assaulted her more than two dozen times between January 2022 and January 2023, including incidents at the fire station and at a storage facility in Van Alstyne while she was under age 17. The affidavits state that she alleged force and coercion, said she complied out of fear, and reported that Perez-Glass threatened to kill her if she disclosed the conduct. Investigators stated that Perez-Glass admitted to a sexual relationship and acknowledged she was younger than 17 at the time. He remained jailed following his arrest.

Perez-Glass was employed full-time by the Irving Fire Department, which placed him on administrative leave after learning of the arrest.

Dalton McCaslin, also a Howe volunteer firefighter, was charged with three counts of sexual assault of a child. According to arrest documents, the complainant told investigators she had sexual intercourse with McCaslin at his apartment while she was 16 after contacting members of the department while upset and seeking to leave her home. Investigators stated that McCaslin admitted to a sexual relationship and acknowledged he knew she was under 17. He later posted bond.

McCaslin was employed by the Allen Fire Department, which placed him on leave after learning of the investigation.

Joshua Ryals was charged with two counts of indecency with a child. According to the affidavits, the complainant alleged that Ryals kissed her and touched her sexually while she was serving as a junior firefighter, but then stopped after acknowledging that she was 16 years old. Ryals posted bond following his arrest.

Ryals had been employed by the Melissa Fire Department and resigned on the day of his arrest.

The affidavits also state that another firefighter told investigators she attempted to report alleged inappropriate sexual advances by Perez-Glass toward the junior firefighter, but was reprimanded by department leadership for bypassing the chain of command and later left the department.

According to the same records, the complainant also told investigators that Perez-Glass and other firefighters maintained a countdown on their phones tracking when she would turn 18.

Former Howe Fire Chief Robert Maniet resigned on February 12. Town officials disclosed his resignation during a March city council meeting, but no reason for the resignation was publicly given.