Madison Paige Jones, a former substitute teacher, and her boyfriend Zackery Dondlinger have been indicted in Texas on dozens of charges tied to the alleged sexual abuse of a 5-year-old girl, a major procedural step that allows the case to proceed toward trial.
What Happens When Madison Paige Jones Is Indicted Alongside Zackery Dondlinger?
Public court records from Ellis County reflect that a grand jury returned indictments on March 4 for both defendants. Madison Paige Jones, 30, was indicted on 19 counts, while Zackery Dondlinger, 37, was indicted on 20 counts described as nearly identical in the court records. The indictment signals the grand jury found sufficient evidence for the case to move forward.
The charges listed across the case filings include allegations such as aggravated sexual assault of a child, indecency with a child, and child-pornography-related counts. In a separate summary of the charge breakdown, Madison Paige Jones faces 13 counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child, one count of possession of child pornography, two counts of indecency with a child involving sexual contact, and three counts of indecency with a child involving exposure. Zackery Dondlinger faces one count of sexual performance by a child under the age of 14, 13 counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child, two counts of indecency with a child involving sexual contact, three counts of indecency with a child involving exposure, and one felony warrant.
What If Bond Levels Signal the Case’s Escalation?
Following the indictments and the addition of charges earlier in the month, bond amounts rose dramatically. Madison Paige Jones’ bond is listed at roughly $3. 84 million, and Zackery Dondlinger’s bond is listed at $5 million, bringing the combined figure to nearly $9 million.
Earlier bond figures described in the case coverage were substantially lower: Madison Paige Jones was initially set at $90, 000, while Zackery Dondlinger’s initial bond has been described in different summaries as $200, 000 or $250, 000. After the new filings and indictments, the figures increased to the multimillion-dollar levels now reflected in the reporting.
What Happens When Investigators Focus on Devices, Messages, and Alleged Direction?
The investigation began after Midlothian police were called in December to examine a report of a potential sexual assault involving a child. One account states officers were called to the home of a woman who identified herself as a friend of Jones. She told officers she was concerned about Dondlinger’s behavior toward a 5-year-old child who lived in Jones’ home. It is not clear whether the child was a relative of Jones.
In the investigative narrative described in court-document summaries, police confronted Jones and she allegedly confessed to sexually abusing the child at Dondlinger’s direction. The same summaries state Jones told investigators that Dondlinger had sexual fantasies involving the child. Affidavit descriptions further state that Jones recorded videos of the abuse and sent them to Dondlinger through Snapchat, and that investigators later located messages they believed supported Jones’ account of acting at his direction.
Investigators seized devices as part of the inquiry. The items described as seized include Jones’ iPhone, an iPad from Jones, and two iPhones taken from Dondlinger at the time of his arrest.
Arrest timelines described across the coverage place Jones’ arrest on Dec. 19, 2025, after an initial report on Dec. 17, 2025. Dondlinger was arrested several days later on Dec. 23, 2025, including a description that he was taken into custody at an oil rig where he was employed. Another account specifies the arrest location as an oil rig site about an hour west of Odessa. A separate timeline also describes the alleged abuse as occurring from Dec. 5–17, 2025, involving a single victim.
Midlothian Independent School District confirmed Jones worked for the district as a substitute teacher, and stated she had worked four days in the past year. The district also said Jones is no longer employed and that it had no information suggesting the allegations are connected to her work or occurred on school property.
