On June 6th, 2025, 25-year old Marcel Ian Moreno of New Braunfels was taken into custody without incident at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio by U.S. Marshals and the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division after an arrest warrant was issued by the New Braunfels Police Department. The warrant charges Moreno with 2nd degree felony Sexual Performance of a Child (Texas Penal Code 43.25 (b)) and bond was set at $50,000. Following his arrest, Moreno was transported to the Bexar County Jail, where he has since posted bond and was released.
The arrest warrant for Moreno stems from a nearly month-long joint investigation by New Braunfels Police and the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division into allegations that he used his role as a recruiter for the U.S. Army to have an intimate relationship with a 17-year old female that he met while on campus at a recruiting event at New Braunfels High School. The investigation has led to the discovery of two more female victims who also met Moreno while on high school campuses when he was there in his capacity as a recruiter. Additional charges may be pending, and the U.S. Army is fully cooperating with the ongoing criminal investigation.
NBPD Detectives also believe that there may be additional victims. Specific details about the nature of the crime and the way the crimes were carried out are purposefully being withheld in order to protect the integrity of the investigation and to judge the validity of additional victims that investigators believe may come forward. Anyone who believes they are a victim, or believes they may know of a potential victim, is encouraged to call New Braunfels Police at 830-221-4100.