The complaint alleges the 2022 "Teacher of the Year," Jacqueline Ma, engaged in a sexual relationship, including oral sex, with a 12-year-old boy on multiple occasions.
A sixth-grade teacher in California is facing multiple charges stemming from her alleged relationship with two minor boys who were 12 and 11 at the time of the offenses.
Jacqueline Ma, 34, is facing a possible sentence of life in prison if convicted of the charges against her, which include10 counts of lewd act on a child under 14, according to an amended complaint obtained by Inside Edition Digital.
That complaint alleges the 2022 "Teacher of the Year" engaged in oral sex and had a sexual relationship with a 12-year-old boy on multiple occasions.
The National City Police Department (NCPD) said that the mother of this victim, who is now 13, contacted them on March 6 alleging that their son and Ma had an "inappropriate relationship," according to a statement they released at the time.
On March 7, police arrested Ma after officers "developed probable cause" just one day into their investigation, said the NCPD.
Jail records show that Ma posted her $100,000 bail shortly after her arrest but was back behind bars on March 9 and this time ordered to be held without bail after she allegedly tried to contact the victim.
Then, in July, additional charges were added after a second victim came forward and claimed that Ma had groomed him when he was just 11, according to the complaint.
Detective Colleen Stanich said in court this week that the boy told police he received graphic texts from Ma, and alleged that the teacher removed her shirt and tried to get close to him on one occasion when they were alone in the classroom.
The San Diego Union-Tribune also reports that during Stanich's testimony she read a message sent by the 12-year-old student to Ma that read: “Sometimes I think you don’t understand that I am a kid still and this is my only real relationship."
That victim also took the stand in court this week at Ma's preliminary hearing, with the judge granting a request from prosecutors that allowed him to testify in a closed-door hearing.
Ma has entered a plea of not guilty to all charges and is due back in court in January.
Her lawyer did not respond to a request for comment.
