Teacher charged over affair with HS student

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A San Antonio man who served as an art teacher at Cotulla High School has been indicted by a La Salle County grand jury on a second-degree felony charge of engaging in an improper relationship with a student and may be arrested this week.

In a brief statement on the case Monday, the La Salle County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that 35-year-old Lance St. Germain was listed as a wanted man after the indictment was handed down Friday, November 4. An arrest is likely by either the San Antonio Police Department or the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, according to the statement.

Reports of St. Germain’s alleged sexual relationship with a female student first came to the attention of the sheriff’s office on March 8, according to Lt. Homar Olivarez.

The officer added that an anonymous tip included an apparent witness statement regarding the teacher kissing the student on campus during school hours.

Lt. Olivarez said that an investigation into the report by Sgt. Esmeralda Gonzalez has revealed St. Germain may have engaged in the relationship with the student while the girl was under the age of 17 and that there is evidence indicating the child was the victim of predatory grooming by the teacher while still in middle school.

Interviews conducted by the sheriff’s office with the suspect led to St. Germain making a statement regarding his alleged involvement with the student, Olivarez said, and this was corroborated by statements made by the alleged victim during forensic interviews by investigators at the Children’s Alliance of South Texas, a child advocacy center with offices in Cotulla.

The teacher was removed from his position at Cotulla High School after the accusation was made against him earlier this year.

“Despite the student being at the age of consent in 2022, it is still illegal for an educator to have a sexual relationship with a student enrolled in the same school district as the educator is employed,” the lieutenant said, “regardless of the student’s age or adulthood.”

The sheriff’s office has confirmed that both suspect and apparent victim in the case have indicated the relationship between them began before 2022.