A former Alliance Middle School counselor was arrested on Wednesday, for a felony charge of what school officials have described as “sharing of inappropriate imagery.”
Gelsaira Ortiz, 29, was being held at the Stark County Jail, pending her arraignment on Friday before Stark County Common Pleas Judge Chryssa Hartnett.
Ortiz was indicted on Jul. 1 by a Stark County grand jury on the fifth-degree felony charge of disseminating matter harmful to a juvenile involving a 14-year-old student at Alliance Middle School at some point from Dec. 25 to May 20.
The type of material Ortiz is accused of sharing was not disclosed by court records.
Alliance City Schools Superintendent Rob Gress informed families of students of Ortiz’s arrest on Thursday in a statement posted on the school district’s website.
“The allegations included the sharing of inappropriate imagery and engaging in inappropriate communications with students,” the statement read.
The school’s message added that on May 19 – before the district was made aware of the allegations against Ortiz – she had submitted her formal resignation, effective Jun. 7, citing an employment opportunity outside of the district.
Ortiz is no longer an employee of Alliance City Schools, according to the statement.