Todd Allen Karch, 48, Lindale, turned himself in at the Wood County Sheriff’s Department this morning on a warrant obtained by the Mineola Police Department from Wood County District Judge Jeff Fletcher for online solicitation of a minor – a third degree felony.

Karch was arrested at 7:10 a.m. today at the Wood County Sheriff’s Department. Bond was set at $40,000 and Karch has been released from the Wood County Jail.

For the past couple of years, Karch has served as Mineola School District transportation director. He had previously served the district as technology director for many years and prior to that, was an elementary school teacher. Karch was placed on administrative leave and has since resigned from his job.

A press release from the Mineola Police Department states that an investigation was initiated in November after the department received a report from Mineola Superintendent Kim Tunnell. During the investigation, the release states, it was found that probable cause did exist for the above listed offense and a warrant was issued.

The Mineola superintendent said in a statement, “The top priority of Mineola ISD is to provide a quality education in a safe and secure

learning environment. A student brought to the district’s attention a possible inappropriate

relationship between a high school student and an employee in the district. The district took

swift actions to contact local law enforcement immediately as the investigation into the report

began. Following immediate interviews and the initial investigation, the employee was placed

on administrative leave and the district has obtained the employee’s resignation. The district

has also notified the State Board of Education. This ongoing investigation is now under the full

jurisdiction of the Mineola Police Department."

Tunnell stated, “We take any report seriously involving the safety and wellbeing of our students and are extremely grateful for the student who came forward to report the concern. We want our students to know how important it is to inform administrators when behaviors of other

students don’t seem right or things are happening that others know shouldn’t be taking place,”

Tunnell said. "These allegations are behaviors that will not be tolerated in Mineola ISD and do not represent our faculty and staff.”