Former Morro Bay teacher charged with having unlawful sex with a minor, faces 3 felonies
A former Morro Bay High School teacher and swim coach accused of having sex with one student and sending sexually explicit messages to another is now facing several criminal charges.
Tyler Andree, 24, was arrested Feb. 8 following a three-week investigation by Morro Bay police.
On Feb. 22, the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office filed five charges against Andree, including three felonies.
Andree pleaded not guilty to the charges at an arraignment Feb. 23.
The criminal complaint charges Andree with a felony count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor three or more years younger, a felony count of contacting a minor for a sexual offense, and a misdemeanor charge of molesting or annoying a minor.
Those three charges are related to one victim, and the DA’s Office says the conduct began around Dec. 31, 2018, before Andree started teaching at the school, and lasted until about Oct. 15, 2020.
The complaint also charges Andree with a felony count of contacting a minor for a sexual offense and a misdemeanor charge of molesting or annoying a minor. Those charges are related to the alleged second victim.
If convicted of all charges, Andree faces a maximum sentence of four years and eight months in state prison, according to the DA’s Office. Convictions would also require he register as a sex offender.
At the Feb. 23 hearing, Superior Court Judge Dodie Harman granted protective orders barring Andree from communicating with the two girls.
Prosecutors also requested Harman increase Andree’s bail to $90,000, but the request was denied.
Andree will remain out of custody ahead of a pre-preliminary hearing March 24.
Andree is suspected of having sexual intercourse with one minor and soliciting another, and jail records show he was released from County Jail after posting $30,000 bail.
The former teacher and varsity girls swimming coach resigned suddenly last month amid a continuing police investigation into allegations of misconduct.
On Jan. 11, San Luis Coastal Unified School District officials were informed of allegations of potential misconduct that indicated “a teacher/coach had an inappropriate relationship with an unnamed student during his employment,” the district wrote in a news release Feb. 22.
Shortly after, the district began an internal investigation and was later notified by the Morro Bay Police Department that it had received similar information and was starting an investigation as well, according to the district.
Andree resigned from the school on Jan. 18, according to the district. He had been an employee with Morro Bay High School since Aug. 13, 2019, according to the district.
One of the alleged victims in the case told The Tribune that Andree tried to initiate a romantic relationship with her and exchanged sexually explicit messages.
This article has been updated to reflect Andree’s plea.
This story was originally published February 23, 2021 at 9:32 AM.
