A former student told police the alleged sexual misconduct began when she was 15 and continued while she was in high school, according to an arrest affidavit.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Update: New documents show that Judge Inna Klein has recused herself from the case. Bellino has retained the services of Corpus Christi attorney and former Nueces County Judge Terry Shamsie.
Original story:
Newly obtained court documents reveal more about the allegations that led to the arrest of former Carroll High School teacher and wrestling coach Corey Wayne Bellino on a sexual assault charge.
This story continues below.
According to an arrest affidavit, a former student told Corpus Christi police that Bellino allegedly began inappropriate sexual contact with her when she was 15 years old while she attended Mary Carroll High School. She told investigators the alleged behavior continued over time and became worse when she was 16.
The investigation began after the woman filed a police report on Aug. 3. The affidavit says she met with a detective the following day and told police she had been going to therapy and was encouraged by her therapist to report what she said happened while she was a student.
The woman told investigators she was also a member of the school’s wrestling team and that Bellino was her teacher and wrestling coach.
According to the affidavit, the woman described one incident that allegedly happened when she was 16 at the current Carroll High School on Saratoga Boulevard. She told police Bellino asked her to help him in a storage room connected to the mat room.
Once inside, she alleged Bellino came up behind her, put his arms around her and sexually assaulted her. The affidavit says she told investigators Bellino made comments about her appearance and told her she could get him in trouble. Portions describing the alleged sexual contact are redacted from the publicly released affidavit.
The woman told investigators she froze and did not know how to respond. She said she told Bellino to stop and that they could not do what he was allegedly doing, according to court documents. She estimated that the incident lasted about 10 to 15 minutes.
The affidavit says the woman told police the alleged behavior continued frequently afterward. She estimated one type of alleged contact happened about 20 times and described it as a daily occurrence during part of that period.
Investigators also referenced a separate 2022 CCISD police report alleging misconduct by Bellino involving another former student. According to the affidavit, the investigation involved an allegation of an improper relationship between an educator and a student, but the statute of limitations had expired.
The detective said investigators interviewed several people, including former students and adults, who suspected inappropriate behavior between Bellino and the woman during that time. Investigators also reviewed police reports, photos, and videos, and interviewed other people familiar with both Bellino and the woman.
According to the affidavit, Bellino declined to speak with the detective about the allegations and said he was already being represented by an attorney.
After reviewing the evidence and interviews, the detective determined there was probable cause to seek a warrant for Bellino’s arrest on a second-degree felony sexual assault charge. The warrant request was signed Aug. 18.
Bellino was arrested on Wednesday. The charge is an allegation, and Bellino is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. Bellino remains in custody at the Nueces County Jail with his bond set at $1.5 million.
3NEWS will continue to follow the case and provide updates as more information becomes available.