AUSTIN, Texas — A former Austin Independent School District (AISD) teacher was sentenced to seven years in prison for engaging in sexual activity with minors in Colombia, according to the Department of Justice.

Court documents detail that Michael Wayne Roberts, 41, paid for sex with three girls between the ages of 13 and 15 in Medellin, Colombia. This happened multiple times between December 2020 and June 2021, the DOJ reported.

Roberts was arrested in Round Rock, Texas, on Sept. 15, 2022. He remained in federal custody since then, pleading guilty in February 2023 to all three counts in his indictment.

Following his sentence, Roberts must register as a sex offender and undergo 10 years of supervised released. The court also ordered him to pay $147,844.51 in restitution to the victims.

“This sentencing reflects that those who engage in sexual conduct with minors, regardless of where it occurs, will be held accountable for their heinous, predatory crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas.  “I am grateful for the diligent work of the Colombian National Police and our federal partners at Homeland Security Investigations, leading to the arrest and prosecution of this individual.  Their commitment to justice has made our communities safer and protected our most vulnerable population—our children.”

AISD confirmed he was a teacher at Sadler Means Young Women’s Leadership Academy and Garcia Young Men’s Leadership Academy after working at Navarro ECHS. The district said that when notified of Roberts’ arrest he was immediately placed on administrative leave.

He passed the background check in July 2021 and began working for Austin ISD at the start of the 2021–22 school year, according to Austin ISD. There have been no allegations of inappropriate behavior with minors at his place of employment, the district said. 

“Protecting the children in our communities remains a top priority for Homeland Security Investigations,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Alejandro M. Amaro for HSI San Antonio. “This sentence is a testament that HSI remains committed to identifying individuals who prey on our most vulnerable population, especially those individuals that hold positions of public trust.”