Document: Teacher threatened to kill himself if student told police about sexual relationship

An El Paso school teacher is accused of engaging in a sexual relationship with a student for nearly 20 months, a criminal complaint obtained by ABC-7 states.

Jaime Alonso Arias, 50, is charged with “improper relationship between educator and student,” the court document states.

Gustavo Reveles, a spokesman with the El Paso Independent School District, told the El Paso Times Arias was an art teacher at Franklin High School.

The investigation into Arias began earlier this year when police received a report from Child Protective Services alleging Arias was engaged in a sexual relationship with one of his students.

When police interviewed the girl, she denied ever having sex with Arias and dismissed the allegations as rumors, the court document states.

Police received a second report from CPS alleging the girl lied about her relationship with Arias. Police interviewed the girl a second time and she allegedly admitted she had been engaged in a sexual relationship with Arias since she was a 15-year-old freshman.

The girl said she lied about the relationship because Arias told her he would kill himself if she ever told anyone about their relationship. Arias allegedly asked the girl to lie to police about their relationship, the court document states.

The girl further stated she and Arias would have sex in a utility room near Arias’ classroom, the affidavit states, adding Arias would also pick up the girl after school and have sex with her inside his truck.