Who Is Alexandria Vera? Houston Teacher Sentenced To 10 Years For Sexual Relationship With 13-Year-Old Student

A former teacher in Texas was sentenced to 10-years in prison Friday after admitting to engaging in a consistent sexual relationship with a 13-year-old student. Alexandria Vera, 24, who was a teacher at an Aldine Independent School District middle school near Houston, had pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault of a child in November.

Initially, Vera was facing a 30-year sentence for having sex with the boy on charges of continuous sexual abuse of a child, who she first met as an eighth grader. The relationship reportedly ended in January 2016, according to KPRC.

Vera met the boy when he was in her eighth-grade summer school English class in 2015, authorities said. Their sexual relationship first started after the boy messaged Vera on Instagram. Vera reportedly communicated with the student again on the app at a later time, after which the student asked for her phone number and asked if they could hang out. During her investigation, Vera told an officer that she and the student kissed in the car during their first meeting, and the next day when the boy’s parents weren’t at home, they reportedly had sex. Officials believe their first sexual encounter was in September.

Vera met the boy’s parents at the school’s open house in October, after which she told investigators she went to the student’s home and was introduced as his girlfriend. Vera told police that the student’s parents were very aware and accepting of her relationship with the boy and she had even been included in family gatherings.

Their relationship became so serious that the boy would spend the night with Vera and the two engaged in sex on a near-daily basis, according to court documents. Vera reportedly became pregnant with the boy’s baby in January 2016, and the teacher told authorities that the student’s family was supportive and excited about the baby. However, after Child Protective Services came to the school to question Vera and the student about their relationship, Vera reportedly got an abortion.

After briefly being on the run, Vera reportedly turned herself into authorities during the summer of 2016. She was released on a $100,000 bail and ordered not to have any contact with the victim. She was also banned from using the internet, have her location tracked by GPS at all times and was put on house arrest between the hours of 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. She was also prohibited from interacting with any children or being near any schools.

Vera will be eligible for parole in five years. The boy has been placed in foster care.

Texas has seen a slew of teacher engaging in sexual relationships with students over the past year. There were 207 cases against teachers engaging in inappropriate behavior with students in 2016, according to the Texas Education Agency. The agency’s director told KPRC in August that actual number could be even higher because schools have been known to making deals with teachers to keep incidents out of the press if teachers agree to resign.