New warrants accuse former Alexander High School teacher Maris Nichols of sexual misconduct, grooming and tampering with evidence.
DOUGLASVILLE, GA — A former Douglas County high school teacher already charged in a student sexual assault case now faces new allegations involving six teens, according to arrest warrants released Thursday.
Maris Nichols, 25, a former biology teacher and football staff member at Alexander High School, is charged with child molestation, improper sexual contact by an employee, grooming of a minor for sexual offenses and tampering with evidence. The new warrants widen a case that began earlier this month with allegations involving one student and two encounters.
The first arrest came after investigators said Nichols had sex with the same student twice, once April 23 in a closet between classrooms at Alexander High School and again May 2 in a Hummer parked off campus in Douglasville. The Douglas County School System said after the first arrest that it was “deeply troubled” by the allegations and had launched its own investigation. The district said student safety was its highest priority and that the alleged conduct violated professional standards required of employees.
The new warrants allege the case involves six teens in all. Investigators said Nichols sent nude photos, videos and sexual messages to multiple students. The warrants also accuse her of having sexual contact with another student in the back seat of his truck at a golf club. In other allegations, investigators said Nichols sent explicit messages to two male students describing sexual acts and sent nude videos and messages to a female student. Authorities also said she encouraged the female student to watch the “Fifty Shades of Grey” movies before discussing them afterward.
Some of the allegations involve teens younger than 16, according to the warrants. Investigators said Nichols used live video chats with at least two teens under 16 to send explicit video of herself. The warrants also accuse her of trying to get a student to delete explicit messages before her first arrest. That allegation led to a tampering with evidence charge. Officials have not released the names of the students, and several details, including the exact ages of all alleged victims, remain unknown.
Nichols was booked into the Douglas County Jail after the first set of charges, which accused her of two counts of sexual assault by a person with supervisory or disciplinary authority. At the time, a judge set bond at $40,000. After the new warrants were released Thursday, a judge set her total bond at $74,000. Her attorneys left court after her first appearance without commenting, and it was not immediately clear whether she had entered a plea to the new charges.
Alexander High School is in Douglasville, about 20 miles west of Atlanta, and serves students in the Douglas County School System. Nichols had been listed as a biology teacher and was connected to the school’s football program, according to earlier reports and public school materials. After the first arrest, her name and photo no longer appeared on the school website. The district had not released a detailed public update on her employment status after the new warrants were reported.
The case has moved from one student allegation to a broader investigation centered on electronic messages, alleged sexual contact and school-related authority. The charges are allegations, and Nichols is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. Investigators have described the case as active and ongoing. Authorities have not said whether more warrants could follow or whether additional students have been interviewed.
For now, the case remains in Douglas County court, where the new bond amount sets the next immediate stage. The next public milestone will be further court scheduling or an update from investigators as they continue reviewing warrants, messages and witness statements.
Author note: Last updated May 21, 2026.