Motley County High School Teacher Sentenced for the Enticement of a Sixteen Year-Old Student

LUBBOCK — Shonna Lynn Calaway, 48, of Matador, Texas, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings to 188 months in federal prison for having a sexual relationship with a sixteen year-old student, announced U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox of the Northern District of Texas.

Calaway pleaded guilty in October 2017 to one count of enticement of a minor. She has been in custody since September 2017.

According to the plea agreement factual resume filed in the case, during the 2016-2017 school year, Calaway was employed as a teacher at Motley County High School. In December 2016, Calaway used the Snapchat application to communicate with a sixteen year-old sophomore, John Doe, at Motley County High School. Calaway sent John Doe a message asking him if he wanted to “hang out,” followed by sexually explicit photos.

Shortly after the Snapchat exchange, Calaway drove to a residence in Roaring Springs, Texas, and picked up John Doe. She drove him to a somewhat secluded scenic location near Roaring Springs and engaged in sexual conduct with John Doe.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood leverages federal, state and local resources to better investigate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children. Project Safe Childhood also prioritizes identifying and rescuing victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab “resources.”

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lamb County Sheriff’s Office, Motley County Sheriff’s Office, Floyd County District Attorney’s Office and Lamb County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Haag was in charge of the prosecution.