Teacher charged for alleged sex with student

Published 12:34 am Saturday, January 28, 2023

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A Southeast Texas educator faces up to 20 years in prison after reportedly admitting to being in a relationship with a student.

Ikeyia Javea Roberts, 33, was indicted Wednesday by a Jefferson County grand jury on a second-degree felony charge.

At the time of the alleged relationship, Roberts was a teacher at Beaumont United High School.

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According to a probable cause affidavit, a Beaumont Independent School District police officer on Dec. 5 received a photograph of Roberts lying on the lap of a 16-year-old student, now 17.

The student reportedly said and wrote in a statement he and the teacher were dating, and she had bought a ring for him. In addition, he had spent a weekend at her house.

The document says Roberts also gave verbal and written statements, saying she had met the teenager nearly two months prior.

“It started off as just a typical teacher/student relationship,” she allegedly wrote. “Where that line blurred I’m not 100% sure, however around November, (student) and I started an inappropriate relationship.”

She also verbally admitted to having a physical relationship with him, the affidavit says.

The charge of improper relationship between an educator and student is defined by sexual contact between a student and an employee at that student’s school.

According to information from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Roberts was booked in the Jefferson County Correctional Facility on Dec. 28 and remained there on a $40,000 as of Friday.