A New Jersey-based male teacher guaranteed at least two male students that they would receive better grades in his class if they agreed to send him pictures of their genitalia, court documents claim.

Jose Maria, a Spanish teacher at Passaic High School, was arrested Jan. 24 for his alleged sexual inappropriateness with minors in 2010 and 2012. However, the apparent incidents weren't disclosed until January 2018, NorthJersey.com reported.

Officials said that one teenage boy, who was identified in the legal documents as Ro.C., sent the 39-year-old man explicit pictures of his privates upon receiving the request. The Spanish teacher would also allegedly pick up both boys and drive them to get Chinese food and alcohol, the legal documents said.

"Ro.C. said he found a picture on the internet of a black penis and sent it to Mr. Maria," according to the affidavit obtained by Courier-Post. "Ro.C. said his mother confronted Mr. Maria who admitted it, said he would kill himself and asked her not to go to the police."

The student dubbed Ro.C. also contacted Maria thereafter, to which the court documents claimed that Maria admitted to having "made a mistake."

Maria, who began working at Passaic High School in 2005, admitted to his inappropriate behavior with two students in video and audio interviews with law enforcement. He was immediately placed on a paid leave of absence from his teaching position, said Passaic School District Keith Furlong. The teacher was reportedly earning more than $75,000 a year.

In addition to receiving two counts charges related to the endangerment of a child's well-being and official misconduct, Maria could face 50 years in prison. However, the Courier-Post reported that the 50-year sentence would only surface if Maria is convicted of all charges.

A representative for Passaic High School did not immediately return International Business Times' request for comment.

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