Former STEM School Highlands Ranch teacher Tera Johnson‑Swartz, 45, has been ordered to spend 14 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to sexually exploiting a child, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. Johnson‑Swartz was arrested in February 2025 and originally faced multiple felony counts tied to what investigators say were inappropriate communications and in-person contact with a juvenile student.
What The Sheriff’s Office Said
In a post on its official Facebook page, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said Johnson‑Swartz pleaded guilty and received a 14-year prison sentence. The post included a statement from 23rd Judicial District Attorney George Brauchler, who said prosecutors "will seek to make teachers who exploit students convicted felons and try to take away their freedom," adding that this marks the fourth teacher felony conviction the office has handled since it opened last year.
Plea And Charges
Johnson‑Swartz pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of cybercrime, both class 3 felonies, as reported by Denver7. According to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office newsroom, detectives with the Special Victims Unit arrested her on February 20, 2025, after an investigation that began in January.
How Investigators Say It Unfolded
Reporting and court records obtained by the Denver Gazette indicate the contact between Johnson‑Swartz and the student began in mid-December 2024. The two allegedly exchanged music, Johnson‑Swartz put her phone number into the student’s phone, and the pair ultimately traded roughly 2,400 text messages. The affidavit further alleges she bought the student cigarettes, kissed the student, and on February 18, picked the student up from campus without parental permission, which prompted a kidnapping allegation.
School Response
In a statement provided to the Denver Gazette, STEM School Highlands Ranch said it immediately placed Johnson‑Swartz on paid administrative leave and blocked her access to campus, electronic records, and students while the investigation was underway. The school said it is cooperating with law enforcement and urged anyone with additional information to contact authorities.
Legal Consequences
The offense Johnson‑Swartz admitted to falls under Colorado’s sexual exploitation statute, C.R.S. § 18-6-403, which criminalizes sexual exploitation of a child and classifies it as a felony under state law, according to the statute text. Convictions for such offenses can involve significant prison time and may require registration under Colorado’s Sex Offender Registration Act, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
Denver7 had previously reported that Johnson‑Swartz’s sentencing hearing was scheduled for March 30, 2026, although the sheriff’s Facebook post states that a judge imposed the 14-year sentence on Friday. According to that post, the District Attorney’s Office and detectives said their Special Victims Unit and prosecutors worked "tirelessly" on the case and encouraged anyone with information to reach out to investigators.
