Former Buckeye teacher indicted on charges of sexual misconduct with 15-year-old student
Apr 8, 2024, 2:00 PM
Alyssa Todd, 23, was her victim's teacher and coach, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office said. (Maricopa County Sheriff's Office photo, left, Pexels photo, right)
(Maricopa County Sheriff's Office photo, left, Pexels photo, right)
PHOENIX — A former Buckeye teacher accused of having sexual contact with a student has been indicted on multiple charges, authorities announced on Monday.
Alyssa Todd, 23, was a teacher and athletic coach at the Odyssey Institute for Advanced and International Studies High School (OIAIS) during the alleged crimes. She no longer works at the school, which is near Yuma Road and Verrado Way.
Todd was indicted on six counts of sexual misconduct with a minor, according to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO). The office also indicted Todd on one count of aggravated luring of a minor.
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Todd allegedly had various types of sexual encounters with with the 15-year-old boy from Dec. 1, 2023 through March 12, 2024, according to court documents.
The sexual misconduct took place on and off campus, in a car and in an office, court documents said.
Todd also allegedly used an electronic device to transmit harmful visual content to her victim.
How did police catch the former Buckeye teacher?
Police first started investigating Todd on March 16 after her husband allegedly found inappropriate images and messages involving a student.
Authorities got a search warrant and questioned her during a forensic interview. She admitted to the monthslong sexual relationship, police said.
Police then arrested her on sexual misconduct charges on March 20.
Todd’s trial will take place in July, MCAO said.
This case is part of a disturbing trend, prosecutors say
Two other women have been accused of improper sexual contact with Buckeye students in the past six months.
Diana Pirvu, 23, was arrested for alleged sex crimes involving a 13-year-old student at the Imagine Schools charter school near 247th Avenue and Durango Street in October 2023.
Jessica Kramer, 42, a former OIAIS teacher, was arrested on multiple counts of sexual conduct with a minor in September 2023 for an alleged relationship with a 17-year-old boy that started in August 2022.
Kramer left OIAIS in October 2022, police said.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell expressed disgust over the recent trend.
“It is extremely concerning to me that teachers, who are in a position of power and trust, are manipulating and taking advantage of students,” Mitchell said in a statement. “I commend our prosecutors and the Buckeye Police Department for their work in ensuring this defendant is held accountable.”
