Llano substitute teacher arrested on charge of ‘improper relationship’ with student
Angela Louise Palmares, 27, of Temple, was arrested on Wednesday, April 22, on a second-degree felony charge of “improper relationship between educator and student” in connection to her time as a substitute teacher at Llano High School. Bell County Jail photo
A former Llano Independent School District substitute teacher was arrested on Wednesday, April 22, on a second-degree felony charge of “improper relationship between educator and student” stemming from her time working at Llano High School.
The Bell County Sheriff’s Office arrested the ex-sub – Angela Louise Palmares, 27, of Temple – on Wednesday following a joint investigation with the Llano County County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety that began on Tuesday, April 21.
“Investigators conducted interviews and collected evidence, which led to the issuance of an arrest warrant for Palmares,” reads a media release issued by the LCSO on Thursday, April 23. “The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone who believes they may be a victim or has information related to this case is encouraged to contact the Llano County Sheriff’s Office and request to speak with an investigator in the Criminal Investigation Division.”
Palmares has a Temple address according to Bell County Jail records. But, she seems to have Llano connections, having reportedly attended Llano High School as a student and graduating from there in 2017.
LISD response
Prior to the LCSO media release issued at around 3:54 p.m. on Thursday, LISD Superintendent Mac Edwards released his own statement at 8:07 a.m. that same day, laying out the circumstances surrounding the situation.
While he did not name the accused teacher, he explained that the school district was made aware of the incident on Tuesday, April 21, and that district leadership quickly informed the Sheriff’s Office of the alleged incident(s).
Edwards wrote that the teacher, now known to be Palmares, had not worked for LISD since April 2 and that her name was removed from the list of available substitutes.
“At this time, we are unable to provide additional details due to personnel and student privacy considerations,” reads the superintendent’s closing remarks. “We appreciate your understanding as the investigation proceeds and ask that you respect the privacy of those involved, especially our students.”
The charge
In the initial statement issued by Superintendent Edwards on the morning of April 23, it was shared that the teacher involved in the incident(s) had been allegedly inappropriately communicating with a Llano High School student on social media.
According to Bell County Jail records, Palmares was booked at around 11:53 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22.
The charge against Palmares was for “improper relationship between educator and student,” which is a second-degree felony, and is primarily defined in the Texas Penal Code as:
“An employee of a public or private primary or secondary school commits an offense if the employee:
“(1) engages in sexual contact, sexual intercourse, or deviate sexual intercourse with a person who is enrolled in a public or private primary or secondary school at which the employee works;…”
Read the entire definition of the statute at this link.
Palmares is being held on a $150,000 bond. A second-degree felony conviction comes with 2-20 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.