Former Tipton Elementary teacher will have to register for life as a sex offender

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- A former teacher will spend the next year behind bars instead of a classroom. Jonathan Urias was sentenced for inappropriate relations with one of his students.

Jonathan Urias sat in a Tulare County courtroom quiet, as he was sentenced for crossing the line with a former student. Earlier this year, investigators discovered the former Tipton Elementary band teacher was exchanging sexually explicit text messages and photographs with a 13-year-old student. Court records say he also possessed child pornography.

Officials say Urias never had physical contact with the child, but pursued it, which is why he also was charged with child molestation. Months after being arrested, Urias learned fate and will spend a year behind bars and five years on probation.

Anthony Fultz said, "We believe justice was served with this sentence, he'll now have to register for life as a sex offender."

Anthony Fultz is the Tulare County Assistant District attorney. He says Urias will not be able to have contact with minors in person or online while on probation.

"He has violated that possession of trust and that's what's so disturbing," said Fultz. "We put our children into the schools believing in them, believing in the people that work there that they will do what's best for and to have someone violate them and violate that role as a teacher and mentor is very disturbing."

It's an unsettling case that the district attorney's office wants to remind parents that danger lies not just in person, but online and on phones and social media.

Fultz added, "We all have to be more conscious of the fact that people are going to be taking of the youth again and there's more avenues to do it."