A former Georgia high school biology teacher may have been blackmailed by students who wanted better grades after she allegedly had sex with them, reports claim.
Maris Nichols, 25, who taught at Alexander High School in Douglasville, Georgia, allegedly had sex with a student on April 23 inside a classroom closet and again on May 2 inside a car, according to initial arrest warrants reported by 11Alive and Atlanta News First.
However, new search warrants obtained by Atlanta News First claim that Nichols also had sex with a second student on May 3 and sent inappropriate photos and videos to multiple other students.
As footage of the encounters began to circulate among the student body, police say some students attempted to blackmail Nichols for higher grades and threatened to leak videos from her OnlyFans account, Atlanta News First reports. Investigators reported finding inappropriate messages on Nichols’ phone, including a video of her having sex with a student, the report added.
It remains unclear if any students will face charges for the alleged blackmail. The Independent has contacted the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office for more information.
The updates come as prosecutors filed a motion on Friday asking a judge to revoke Nichols’ bond, as reported by CBS News.
Prosecutors state that a compliance report showed Nichols violated her bond conditions 85 times in a 27-day period, committing 38 home curfew violations and 47 inclusion zone violations by traveling to retail stores and fast-food restaurants.
Nichols was first arrested May 8 and released on a $40,000 bond, at which point the Douglas County School System stated it was “deeply troubled” and cooperating fully with law enforcement, according to a report by The Independent.
Following further investigation, authorities arrested Nichols again May 20. She now faces two counts of child molestation, four counts of improper sexual contact by an employee, four counts of grooming a minor and one count of tampering with evidence.
After her second arrest, Nichols was granted a $74,000 bond that restricted her from internet use, social media and contact with minors other than her 6-year-old daughter.
In the motion to revoke that bond, prosecutors argued that Nichols’ repeated violations under active electronic monitoring demonstrate she poses a significant threat to the community and risks reoffending or intimidating witnesses, CBS News reported.
A court hearing on the motion is scheduled for next week.
