Ramsey Carpenter became a middle school science teacher after winning the Miss Kentucky crown.
A former Miss Kentucky allegedly sent lewd photos of herself to a 15-year-old boy over Snapchat.
Ramsey Carpenter Bearse, 28, who was crowned Miss Kentucky in 2014, was arrested in West Virginia last week and charged with four felony counts of distributing or displaying obscene matter to a minor, The Associated Press reported.
She taught the boy at Andrew Jackson Middle School in Cross Lanes, where she was an eighth-grade science teacher, the AP reported. His mother contacted authorities after allegedly finding the nude photos on his phone.
Bearse "admitted to sending the 15 year old boy at least 4 photographs of her nude breast/chest area via Snapchat...from around August 2018 to end of October 2018," according to the criminal complaint.
She was arraigned Friday afternoon.
"I have no comment to make to you all at this time," she said.
Her lawyer, Al Emch, addressed reporters after the arraignment.
"This is a very difficult day, and this was a shock to her, to me and to everyone else," he said.
When asked if he maintained her innocence, he added, "Of course."
Kanawha County Schools District officials confirmed Bearse was a teacher in the district but said it could not comment further.
"We will follow all applicable policies and procedures," the statement said. "The safety and security of our students is our top priority."
The former beauty queen, who played the fiddle in the talent portion of the competition, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2010 and used the pageant to spread awareness of the disease.
"When I was first diagnosed with multiple sclerosis I lost the ability, physically, to play," she said at the time. "I spent many hours just working with my fingers trying to regain muscle memory."
Bearse married West Virginia coal magnate Charles "Chas" Bearse in 2016.
Bearse was released on $10,000 bond. She's due back in court on Dec. 17.
She faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
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