After a 12-year-old boy tried to flee his father's grasp, by driving an SUV owned by the teacher he had been caught having sex with, both student and teacher gave up their ruse. The 16-year veteran teacher, L.C., 41, has since been ordered to serve a 10-year prison sentence, as reported by My San Antonio and several other news outlets.
L.C. was unsuccessful in getting District Judge Lori Valenzuela to transfer the jail time over to probation so that she can remain an active mother to her children.
During her sentencing L.C. had tearfully said, "I just want to say that I'm sorry for what I did and I apologize to the court, to (the child) and his family, and to my family. I have lost so much because of what I did, and I ask the court to let me stay with my family and take care of my children."
L.C., a fifth-grade teacher at Northside Independent School District's Cable Elementary, was arrested in July of 2010.
The arrest occurred shortly after the boy's father had noticed that L.C.'s Ford Explorer was parked outside of his home at approximately 3 a.m. He also, at the same time, realized that his child was not in the home.
The occupants of the SUV, possibly noticing that they had been detected, sped off – with the child driving. The father gave chase in his own vehicle, for approximately 30 miles. Eventually both cars were pulled over by a traffic officer once they reached Hondo.
The officer failed to make an arrest, he instead returned the boy to his father's car and suggested the father contact the San Antonio police department. The boy's father then took his son to the police to report the sexual assaults.
A plea agreement was reached in October. L.C. would plead no contest to indecency with child by exposure. She had originally been charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child. Her plea deal allowed her to face a third-degree felony and resulted in the 10-year prison sentence.
Had L.C. been found guilty of aggravated sexual assault of a child she would have faced up to life in prison.
With the stipulation that prosecutors would remain silent while L.C. asked the judge for probation, both the prosecution and the defense agreed to accept the 10-year sentence.
L.C. also had to give up her teaching certification.
Cliff Herberg, the First Assistant District Attorney, commented, "We felt like we had a good case, but the family was worried about putting the young boy through the emotional ordeal of a trial. We wanted to be respectful of the family's desires."
The chief of the white-collar-crimes division stated that the boy's father feared that if his son had to testify in a trial it would cause the boy some discomfort. According to the father his son seems to have pulled away from his friends and family and he didn't want a trial to make things any harder for him.
L.C.'s husband told the court that his wife had "exemplary records" as a teacher prior to the incident. John Carroll, L.C.'s defense attorney commented, "She was by all accounts a very good, dedicated teacher. The public humiliation and shame has been very difficult for her to deal with."
If you have been charged with a minor or serious crime contact a criminal defense attorney to best argue your case. Only an experienced attorney can help you with negotiating plea deals, jail time and fines.
