A Douglas County high school teacher accused of sexual misconduct involving six students was allegedly pressured to raise grades after teenagers learned she operated an OnlyFans account, newly filed search warrants show.
Maris Nichols, 25, was a biology teacher at Alexander High School when she was arrested in May. WSB-TV reported that some students allegedly used knowledge of the account to pressure her for better grades. Investigators have since served more than a dozen warrants seeking records from OnlyFans, Snapchat and AT&T, along with data from phones belonging to Nichols, students and relatives.
The warrants seek surveillance video from St. Andrews Golf Course, where investigators allege Nichols met a student in a vehicle, as well as genetic evidence and fingerprints from two teenagers. Deputies photographed and collected evidence from Nichols’ classroom, vehicle and a closet where one alleged encounter occurred.
Earlier arrest warrants accused Nichols of crimes involving six teenagers, including two reportedly younger than 16. She faces multiple counts of child molestation, improper sexual contact by an employee, grooming a minor for a sexual offense and tampering with evidence.
Another warrant says Nichols’ mother tried to recover a phone formerly used by Nichols and sought her school-issued laptop. An aunt told investigators she wanted to turn the phone over to law enforcement because she feared possible evidence could be destroyed, WSB-TV reported.
The Douglas County School System said it immediately opened an investigation, called the alleged conduct unacceptable and pledged to cooperate with law enforcement. Georgia’s educator ethics code requires professional relationships with students and identifies sexual acts or inappropriate electronic and physical relationships as unethical conduct.
Nichols has not been convicted. Search warrants and arrest warrants contain allegations, not findings of guilt, as investigators continue reviewing digital and physical evidence.
