by | Published
Lance St. Germain, 37, a former teacher at Cotulla High School, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after being convicted of Engaging in an Improper Relationship with a Student. The sentence was handed down by Judge Russell Wilson in La Salle County District Court on July 2, 2025.
St. Germain pleaded guilty on April 14, 2025, to violating the law of Improper Relationship between Educator/Student, a second-degree felony under Texas law.
The investigation began in March 2022 when students reported concerns about inappropriate conduct between St. Germain and a 17-year-old student. A joint investigation conducted by the La Salle County Sheriff’s Office and the Cotulla Independent School District (ISD) revealed that St. Germain engaged in an unlawful relationship with the student over several weeks. This included the exchange of explicit photos and sexual contact with the student within his school classroom.
St. Germain was immediately remanded into custody following his sentencing hearing. Authorities extended thanks to La Salle County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Esmerelda Gonzalez for her thorough investigation and First Assistant Leslie Carranza for ensuring justice for the student and her family.
Officials emphasized that such conduct by educators violates the trust placed in them by students, colleagues, parents, and the entire school community, and demands full accountability.
