A temporary Santa Ynez Valley high school teacher was booked at the Santa Barbara County Jail last Tuesday after detectives arrested her for allegedly having unlawful sexual relations with an underage male student.

The arrest of 29-year-old Kelli Jo Camp came after a month-long investigation by the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s detectives into her alleged misconduct with members of the male student population at New Cuyama High School. After obtaining alleged e-mail correspondences between the teacher and her 17-year-old student, detectives arrested her for allegedly having unlawful sex with a minor.

The Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department was first contacted by school administrators who were concerned that Camp was allegedly having inappropriate relationships with her male students. This concern grew as a result of numerous occasions over the course of several months during which Camp had allegedly received greeting cards from the alleged victim, communicating his love for her. In addition to the cards, investigators found photos of the victim in Camp’s desk drawer.

Detectives also discovered allegedly incriminating e-mails between Camp and the alleged victim referencing a consensual sexual relationship between them.

Based on information gathered during the investigation, detectives acquired a search warrant and arrest warrant for Camp. She was arrested in Santa Maria at the Valarie House – the Changing Faces group home, where she is a manager. Camp resides the 4800 block of Caliente Street in New Cuyama.

School administrators told detectives that Camp was “very close with her male students.” They also said it was common for male students to visit her classroom outside of class.

Camp was only a temporary teacher at New Cuyama High School, due to her lack of teaching credentials. Concurrently with her teaching job at the high school, Camp was attending school herself, working toward an educational degree.

Earlier this year, Camp had also worked as an instructor at Righetti High School in Santa Maria. Camp’s previous employers include Lakeview Jr. High School in Orcutt, where she worked as a cheerleading instructor and at Central Coast Shock Wave, a cheerleading studio in Santa Maria, where she worked as a coach.

Detectives have asked the public to come forward with for any information regarding this case or any other alleged incidents involving Camp.