The US Attorney for the Western District of Missouri said that Amanda Ruth Schweitzer (pictured) is facing numerous charges
A former middle school teacher has been charged with the sexual exploitation of a minor after prosecutors in Missouri accused her of having sex with at least three teenage boys.
Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, said that Amanda Ruth Schweitzer, 38, of Joplin is facing numerous charges after a federal grand jury unsealed a two-count indictment on Sunday.
Schweitzer’s indictment was first made public following her initial court appearance on Thursday and remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Jan. 30, 2018, according to justice.gov.
‘The federal indictment alleges that Schweitzer used a minor to produce child pornography from March 1 to March 29, 2017,’ the official government site.
‘The indictment also alleges that Schweitzer transferred obscene material to the minor during that time.’
Schweitzer’s indictment was first made public following her initial court appearance on Thursday and remains in federal custody
‘This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, the Joplin, Mo., Police Department and the FBI,’ the site added.
At the time of the incident, Schweitzer was a teacher at North Middle School in Joplin, Missouri and may have had sexual encounters on campus, according to the indictment.
Schweitzer has also been the subject of multiple civil suits since her arrest last year alongside the Joplin School District.
In one lawsuit, three students are mentioned as having received various unwanted sexual advances from Schweitzer.
In a second suit against the school district, it’s alleged Schweitzer began ‘grooming’ the three underage male students in early 2017.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller and was conducted in conjunction by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force
She is alleged to have sent them suggestive and sexual texts and social media messages.
The Joplin Globe reveals how in one incident at the school Schweitzer allegedly ‘ran her hand through the student’s hair and nibbled on his ear’.
She then apparently messaged him via Instagram and to ask him if he enjoyed it.
The lawsuits details numerous other incidents of alleged sexual misconduct by Schweitzer with the three former North Middle School students all of whom were younger than 15 at the time of the offenses.
The lawsuit against the school district lawsuit cites the Missouri Human Rights Act, alleging the district ‘failed to take steps to prevent sexual assault and sexual harassment by its faculty.’
The mother of two of the ex-teacher’s alleged victims brought the lawsuit against Schweitzer.
Matthew Wilson, a Springfield attorney representing the school district, told the Globe that the district had no knowledge of Schweitzer’s alleged conduct before receiving a complaint.