FORT WORTH -- A former Kennedale High School teacher accused of having sex with five students at her Arlington home was indicted Friday on five charges of improper relationship between an educator and student.
Brittni Colleps, 27, faces up to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine on each second-degree felony.Colleps, a mother of three whose husband was stationed at Fort Polk, La., when, authorities say, the incidents took place, was arrested May 16 and remains free on a $125,000 bond."A schoolteacher holds a position of trust -- we entrust them with what is most important to us: our children," prosecutor Elizabeth Beach said in a statement released by the Tarrant County district attorney's office Friday. "Our office takes it very seriously when a teacher violates that trust by having a sexual relationship with a student."Lex Johnston, Colleps' attorney, said Friday that the indictments were "fully expected.""A grand jury indictment is not anything other than a review that's constitutionally guaranteed as to whether or not there was probable cause to have actually arrested her for these charges," Johnston said. "We will continue to fight this case as best we can, although no definitive plan has been put into place as to how we're going to proceed."According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Colleps is accused of exchanging explicit text messages with an 18-year-old student beginning in April and having sex with him days later at her house in Arlington.Four other students also became involved with Colleps and, at least once, all five were in the same room as the sexual acts took place, according to the affidavit. Video showing Colleps having sex with one student May 10 -- with others in the room -- was taken as evidence, according to the affidavit.All the students involved are 18 or older, police have said.According to the indictments, Colleps is alleged to have had sex and oral sex with four of the students on two occasions each and oral sex with the fifth student on one occasion.Colleps was a probationary English teacher and coach at Kennedale High, her attorney has said, and had given notice in March that she did not plan to return for this school year. She was placed on administrative leave once the allegations arose.In the days after her arrest, Colleps' husband, Christopher Colleps, told reporters that he would support her throughout the "entire ordeal."Johnston said Brittni Colleps' husband continues to stand by his wife. He said Brittni Colleps is looking for a job outside teaching.Deanna Boyd, 817-390-7655