Photo: Richmond Police Department
A former biology teacher is facing multiple charges for allegedly having sexual relations with seven students and sharing sexually explicit photos with them.
Anessa Paige Gower, who used to work at Making Waves Academy in Richmond, California, is facing 29 charges, including statutory rape, lewd acts with a child under the age of 14, sending harmful matter to seduce a child, and over two dozen counts of child molestation. She is being held on a $2 million bond.
Authorities did not provide details on the age or gender of the victims because they are minors.
Making Waves Academy Chief Executive Officer Alton B. Nelson, Jr. said that Gower was terminated once officials learned of the allegations.
"There is nothing more important than the health, safety, and well-being of our students. During the course of an investigation into allegations that one of our teachers violated school policy, we learned of additional highly concerning allegations involving that teacher's conduct. We immediately shared that information with authorities who are reviewing the matter. That teacher is no longer employed by Making Waves Academy, and we have reached out to parents, students, and faculty to provide support where it might be needed," Nelson said in a statement.
Gower is not the first teacher at Making Waves Academy accused of molesting students. Ronald David Guinto was sentenced to 931 years in jail after being convicted of molesting 15 boys in 2017.