AUSTIN, Texas — An East Austin high school teacher has been arrested after allegedly having an inappropriate relationship with a student.
According to an affidavit, Texans Can Academy teacher David Hoelewyn, 27, is charged with sexual assault of a child and improper relationship between educator and student, both second-degree felonies.
The 16-year-old female victim told the school’s principal Hoelewyn began messaging her in January 2023 through text messages and Snapchat before the relationship became physical. She said she had provided Hoelewyn with her phone number to be added to a group chat for a school club and he began texting her directly shortly after. The texts became increasingly sexual, the affidavit said.
The victim said Hoelweyn sent her numerous images daily, including inappropriate photos of himself. On more than one occasion, Hoelewyn inappropriately touched the student, according to the affidavit.
In his statement to the school’s principal, Hoelewyn said, “My hope was that it would stay professional … before I could cut it off we had already shared pictures of each other.”
Law enforcement said they retrieved more than 300 Snapchat messages between Hoelewyn and the victim, which were “largely sexual in nature, some of which reference David giving Victim‘extra credit’ towards her school work for sexual favors and others that allude to David and Victim coordinating a location and time for which they can have sex with one another.”
The affidavit said there were also messages that referenced the victim’s age and did not begin legally.
Texans Cans Academy provided the following statement following the arrest:
“Upon being made aware of the matter, Texans Can Academies immediately placed the teacher on administrative leave and notified law enforcement, Child Protective Services and the Texas Education Agency. The teacher’s employment was terminated following an internal investigation. Any further questions should be directed to the Austin Police Department.”