SAN ANTONIO – Kyle Kelso, a former teacher with the Marion Independent School District who’s already accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student, faces a new charge of sexual assault of a child. The charge stems from a second alleged victim, according to the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office.
Kelso, 44, who had been out on bail since his arrest last September, was arrested again Monday.
Deputy Wayne Lehman, an investigator with the Sheriff’s Office, said that like the first teenager who came forward, the second accuser also was 15 years old at the time and a student at Marion High School.
“The acts occurred multiple times in each of the cases,” Lehman said. “None of the acts actually occurred during school functions or on school campuses, so there's nothing to tie the Marion school district to this act."
Kelso previously taught at the school. He was working as a substitute teacher at the time, according to an employee of Marion ISD.
After the school district learned about the first case last year, Kelso was reportedly “escorted off campus” and no longer is employed there.
According to court records, Kelso recently accepted a plea bargain in the first case. He is scheduled for a sentencing hearing May 27.
KSAT 12 News contacted the Guadalupe County District Attorney’s Office to find out whether this latest arrest might have an impact on his plea bargain deal or his sentencing. A secretary said that no one was able to comment on a pending case.
Lehman said the initial case against Kelso polarized the city of roughly 1,100 people, with some of them blaming the teen for making the claims against him.
“It’s not the child’s fault. The child reported this stuff,” he said. “To make a report of this nature, you’ve got to take the child’s word.”
“When you have a victim being ostracized as a result of coming forward, it makes it harder for other folks to come forward as well,” Lehman said.
As of Tuesday morning, sheriff’s investigators said they had not heard from any additional victims, but they are encouraging any others to speak out.