Fresno High teacher accused of having a sexual relationship with student back in jail

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Fresno High School teacher accused of having a long-term sexual relationship with an under-aged student is back in jail.

Darren Klassen was arrested Friday and Action News had the only camera there when it happened.

Klassen posted an $80,000 bail when he was first arrested on sex charges last month. But a judge bumped that up more than tenfold Friday -- to $860,000 -- and ordered the teacher into custody.

As the handcuffs tightened around Darren Klassen's wrists, the now-suspended Fresno High School English teacher started a long walk back into the Fresno County jail.

At 46, he's in the first significant legal trouble of his life, but when Judge Brian Alvarez saw the 37 felony counts against Klassen, he made it much more difficult for Klassen to be a free man.

"Any judge is going to raise the bail, absolutely, (he's a) danger to society," said legal analyst Ralph Torres.

A search warrant Action News uncovered details the accusations against Klassen. The alleged victim told police they started a romantic relationship when she was 15 and it escalated the month she turned 16.

And the warrant reveals the teacher engaged in those sex acts with his student inside his classroom at Fresno High -- for up to two years.

Investigators say Klassen admitted as much in a secretly recorded phone call with the victim.

Torres says that'll put pressure on Klassen. "Admissions of guilt are going to come in in any courtroom."

The defense attorney, who's not involved in this case, says the number of counts and the age difference between Klassen and his alleged victim will also be difficult to overcome.

Klassen could be facing more than 25 years in prison, if he's convicted.

"If I was counsel to this defendant, I would be looking at trying to resolve," Torres said.