A Virginia middle school teacher was arrested at the U.S.-Mexico border on Friday after he was accused of having sex with a minor.
Fairfax County Police say Matthew Snell, 31, of Clinton, Maryland, was arrested Friday at El Paso airport in Texas after he allegedly tried to flee the country, the Associated Press reported.
WTOP reported that U.S. Marshals took Snell into custody in El Paso. Fairfax County Police said Snell is being extradited back to Virginia to face charges.
Police said concerned parents contacted the school on Thursday after discovering inappropriate text messages from Snell to their child.
Snell, who taught people with learning disabilities at Thoreau Middle School in Vienna, allegedly became aware of the investigation into him and fled.
He faces multiple charges, including taking indecent liberties with a child by a person in a custodial relationship.
Fairfax County Public Schools released a statement to parents at Thoreau Middle School, saying the school would be cooperating with law enforcement “as requested and needed.”
“FCPS is cooperating with police as they investigate this serious matter. This is an ongoing criminal investigation lead by the Fairfax County Police Department with full support provided by FCPS staff as requested and needed,” the statement read in part.