Texas Teacher Accused of Sex with Male Student After Allegedly Texting Him to Meet Up: Authorities

A Texas high school teacher is accused of having sex with a male student in 2023, allegedly texting him to meet up, court records show.

Molly Colleen Spears, 35, of Baytown, was arrested on Wednesday, Feb. 12, online court records show.

She is charged with a second-degree felony offense of improper relationship between educator and student, according to an indictment filed in Chambers County Court on Feb. 8, 2024, according to online court records.

Spears, a former teacher at Barbers Hill School in Mont Belvieu, Texas, turned herself in to the Chambers County jail on Wednesday, Feb. 12 on a warrant for her arrest.

According to the indictment, while Spears was a teacher at the school, she used a commercial online service to “knowingly solicit by text message”  to “meet” the unidentified student to “engage in sexual contact and sexual intercourse” with her.

Spears worked as a high school teacher for Barbers Hill ISD from August 2021 to June 2023, the district said in a statement to KPRC 2 in June 2023, when the outlet said it learned of the allegations.

“She resigned earlier this month,” a district spokesperson said in June 2023, noting that “per policy, the district will not confirm any internal investigation into any matter.”

The warrant for her arrest was issued a year ago, on Feb. 12, 2024, four days after Spears was indicted, court records show.

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Her attorney, Christopher L. Tritico, was not available for comment when PEOPLE reached out to him, but issued the following statement to KPRC 2:

“Ms. Spears was first notified of the charges two days ago and we acted immediately to get the bond set up and in place. I cannot speak to why it sat dormant for so long. That is a question for the other side of the aisle. Ms. Spears looks forward to having an opportunity to confront the allegations and to finally put this matter behind her.”

Spears was released on a $50,000 bond. She is scheduled to return to court for her arraignment on April 7.

If convicted, Spears faces 2 to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

The school district did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.