Teacher Suspected of Assaulting a Minor Gifted Him a Gun, Say Prosecutors

(VitalNews.org) – A female teacher from Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, has been charged with second-degree sexual assault of a child and of providing a child with a dangerous weapon. Tayesha Bolden, 34, who has since been fired from her post as teacher at the Pilgrim Lutheran school, is alleged to have groomed the boy, aged between 13 and 14 years at the time, over the course of several months. She has been accused of conducting an illegal sexual relationship with the child in which she told him that she loved him and gave him gifts that included $1000 and a handgun.

The disgraced former teacher exchanged upwards of 2,200 text messages with the boy throughout the school year, some of which have been reported to include naked photographs of herself and flirtatious messages. She is accused of taking the boy to a secluded park in June in order to molest him, before buying him a Glock 19 gun on his request. The boy is reported to have told Bolden that he felt afraid to leave the house without a weapon. She gave him the gun, along with several books, as a gift for his fourteenth birthday. On July 21, the boy asked her for another gun as well as $1000. She gave him the money, but refused to buy another gun, and the pair are said to have ceased contact after this.

The boy had the gun confiscated by police after being stopped on July 28. His parents had reported him missing and were concerned that he had gone to Bolden’s house after they found concerning messages on the boy’s phone, including a topless photo she is alleged to have sent their son. According to court documents, once police had informed the school of the allegations against their member of staff, a member of the school administration confronted Bolden, who allegedly admitted to having the boy stay at her home previously in the year. She was immediately fired, and the administrator reported the conversation to the police.

Should Bolden be convicted, she faces up to 43 years behind bars. She has been released on $2500 bond while awaiting trial.