A Hubbard ISD school board member and Texarkana, Texas police officer, Zackary Gilley, has been arrested for two counts of sexual assault of a child and separate counts of indecency with a child by contact and indecency with a child by exposure.
The charges stem from the testimony of a teenage girl who rode on patrol with Officer Gilley as a part of the department’s Explorer program. The Explorer program is basically a mentorship program for young people ages 14 through 20 that might be interested in a career in law enforcement. It allows them to see what law enforcement officers do daily on the job and helps them make a decision on whether they want to be a police officer themselves one day.
The probable cause affidavit executed in the case and signed by District Judge John Tidwell states that the underage female, who was 15 at the time of the alleged assaults, gave sworn testimony of repeated inappropriate contact forced on her by Gilley while she rode along with him between January and November of 2024 as part of the program. She gave that testimony during an interview at the Texarkana Children’s Advocacy Center.
The Probable Cause Affidavit also stated that Gilley allegedly told the girl he “had a crush on her” and made her “pinky promise” not to tell anyone.
Following the arrest, Gilley was placed on administrative leave at the Texarkana PD and the Hubbard ISD released an official statement.
That statements reads: On June 2, 2025, Hubbard ISD Trustee Zackary Gilley was arrested on multiple charges alleging sexual conduct with a child. Matt Skipper, the President of the Hubbard ISD Board of Trustees,stated, “I recognize that anyone charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty. The school board and the superintendent, however, make decisions based upon school policies and Texas law relating to public education.”
Mr. Skipper emphasized that Mr. Gilley will not be permitted access to any school district property or school-related events while the case is pending. Mr. Skipper also said, “The Board holds all district officials to the highest standards of moral conduct. I intend to ask Mr. Gilley to resign his seat on the Board.”
Gilley was booked into the Bi-State Jail and his bond was set at $600,000. He bonded out of jail on Friday and immediately tendered his resignation from the Hubbard ISD Board of Directors.
Gilley now faces two to 20 years in prison on each of the two counts of sexual assault of a child and on the charge of indecency with a child by contact, and two to 10 years if convicted of the indecency by exposure charge.
First Assistant District Attorney Kelley Crisp will prosecute the case for the state and it will be heard in District Judge John Tidwell’s court.
Zackary Gilley
