Convictions pile up for Texas teachers who abused children, distributed child porn

Three Texas teachers are going to prison for sex-related crimes including sexually assaulting students and distributing child porn, reports Texas Scorecard.

John Collett, a former Lewisville ISD Teacher of the Year and Denton County Best Teacher nominee, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexually assaulting a 10-year-old female student. 

The elementary school teacher was arrested two years ago and charged with molesting the girl inside a classroom on two occasions after school, Scorecard reported.  

In one incident, the girl told investigators she “sat on his lap, got a piece of candy, and fell asleep” because she was tired, only to wake up to him touching her inappropriately. 

Collett had invited the girl to an “after school club” but there was never anyone else there. Investigators found the club actually met on a different day and the student was never listed as being part of it. 

Collett must register as a sex offender for life. His state teaching certificate is also under review. 

Middle school grooming and assault 

In the East Texas town of Nacogdoches, Annaleigh Andrews, 26, will spend two years in prison after being convicted on seven charges related to sexually assaulting a middle school student. 

Andrews reportedly groomed the student, sending him Snapchat messages and smoking marijuana with him, then began an inappropriate sexual relationship. She also lied to the child’s mother about where they were and told the child to lie as well. 

The former middle school teacher pled guilty to four counts of sexual assault of a minor and three counts of soliciting a minor online.  

The judge had wanted to sentence her to probation only, Scorecard reported, but the state asked for 10 years.  

Andrews reportedly asked for leniency, saying her “academy schooling left her sheltered and unprepared for the world,” KTRE reported, and because of “a recent autism diagnosis from an expert hired by the defense.” 

She received two two-year sentences, which will run concurrently, and she must register as a sex offender and pay a $5,000 fine. Her teaching certificate expired in 2023 and is under review by the state’s education authority. 

Federal child porn conviction 

While both Collett and Andrews were sentenced to state prison, former Navasota teacher Daniel Byrd will spend the next five years in federal lockup for “sharing child abuse material showing young boys being assaulted,” Texas Scorecard reports. 

The news site maintains an interactive map of educator sexual misconduct in the Lone Star State, listing hundreds of arrests over the past few years.