New charges have been filed in a shocking case of a woman accused of sexually abusing a 5-year-old to gratify a man.
North Texas substitute teacher Madison Paige Jones and her boyfriend Zackery Harold Dondlinger, who were arrested in December, have now been indicted on a total of 39 child sex crime charges related to the case.
Jones, 31, was a substitute teacher in the Midlothian Independent School District at the time of her arrest on charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child and possession of more than 500 images of child sexual abuse material.
Dondlinger, Jones’ 37-year-old boyfriend, was arrested a week later in Loving County.
Both are now being held in the Wayne McCollum Detention Center in Ellis County.
Investigators said Jones admitted recording herself performing sex acts with a 5-year-old child in her home at Dondlinger’s direction and sending the videos to him via Snapchat.
Jones allegedly told investigators Dondlinger had sexual fantasies about the child, and she made videos of herself abusing the child to satisfy his sexual needs.
This month an Ellis County grand jury indicted Jones on 19 felony charges:
- 13 counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child, a first-degree felony;
- 1 count of possession with intent to promote child sexual abuse material depicting child sexual assault, also a first-degree felony;
- 1 count of indecency with a child by sexual contact, a second-degree felony; and
- 4 counts of indecency with a child by exposure, a third-degree felony.
Bonds for the charges against Jones now total $3.84 million.
The grand jury indicted Dondlinger on 20 charges:
- 1 count of sexual performance of a child under the age of 14, a first-degree felony;
- 13 counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child;
- 1 count of possession with intent to promote child sexual abuse material depicting child sexual assault;
- 2 counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact; and
- 3 counts of indecency with a child by exposure.
Bonds for the charges against Dondlinger total $5 million.
443rd District Court Judge Grace Pandithurai is presiding over the cases.
Following Jones’ arrest in December, Midlothian ISD officials notified families with students at Baxter Elementary and Heritage High School that a substitute teacher (who they did not name) had been charged with sex crimes but added there was “no indication” the charges were related to her teaching role or that “anything occurred at an MISD campus or activity.”
According to the notices, Jones taught at Baxter on October 28 and 29 and November 3, 2025, and at Heritage on November 19, 2025. Midlothian ISD has since cut ties with the teacher.
Jones received a Texas teaching certificate as an educational aide in April 2024. Her certification is now on “indefinite suspension” until the criminal case against her is resolved.
In just the past few years, hundreds of Texas teachers have been accused of sex crimes involving students and other children. Thousands have been reported to the Texas Education Agency for sexual misconduct.
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