RALEIGH — Wake County District Court Judge Jennifer Knox on Wednesday told a sixth-grade teacher he could spend the rest of his life in prison if he is convicted of charges that he committed sex offenses with a child.

On Tuesday, Wake County sheriff’s deputies arrested and charged Ronald Alan Olson, a teacher at Wendell Middle School, with three counts of first-degree sexual offense with a child. Olson, 24, of 1023 Kelton Cottage Way, Morrisville, was ordered held on a $600,000 bond after his arrest.

Knox declined to reduce the bond Wednesday, even though Olson had no prior convictions and he assured her that he wasn’t a flight risk.

“Not at this time,” the judge said.

Olson is accused of engaging “in a sexual act other than vaginal intercourse with a child under the age of 13,” on three different occasions between Aug. 8 through Oct. 24, according to an arrest warrant filed at the Wake County Clerk of Courts Office.

Sheriff’s spokeswoman Phyllis Stephens said the charges involved one victim. Investigators did not believe any other children were involved, she said, though the investigation is continuing.

Olson resigned his teaching position on Monday, with an effective date of Thursday, according to Wake schools spokesman Mike Charbonneau. He said Olson was hired Aug. 17, 2011, to teach language arts.

“He is no longer with the school system,” Charbonneau said.

Knox ordered a public defender to represent Olson after he told the judge that he had not hired an attorney because he had not been able to speak with his mother since his arrest. The judge told him he could call his mother after his court appearance.

Olson’s address is a condominium in a golf course community off of Crabtree Crossing Parkway.

He is being held at the Wake County jail. Knox also ordered him to have no contact with children under the age of 16 if he is released from jail.

Matt Caulder contributed to this story.

McDonald: 919-829-4533