Find, view and share videos about news and entertainment from around the Web.
See Videos »

Blog Chatter

NEWS ALERTS

Get the latest updates sent straight to your inbox.

Sign up to receive AOL News alerts by e-mail.

Teacher Pleads Guilty in Student Sex Case

By ANNA JO BRATTON,
AP
Posted: 2008-07-03 13:36:49
Filed Under: Crime News
(June 3) - A former teacher pleaded guilty Wednesday to fleeing to Mexico with a 13-year-old student so she could have sex with him. Her plea was part of a deal to ensure she'll spend less than a decade in federal prison.

Kelsey Peterson, 26, cried in court and shook her head when the prosecutor said she started having sex with the boy when he was 12 years old and a student at Lexington Middle School, where she taught.

Kelsey Peterson, Sex Offender

Kelsey PetersonCass County Jail/AP

Former middle school teacher Kelsey Peterson, 26, pleaded guilty Wednesday to transporting a minor across state lines to have sex with him. The plea could land her in prison for up to eight years.

1 of 3PHOTOS

X | Close
But the former math teacher pleaded guilty to a charge of transporting a minor across state lines to have sex, and avoided a similar charge that would have carried a mandatory 10-year minimum sentence.

The plea agreement calls for a sentence of at least 70 months in prison, up to a maximum of 87 months. The judge could decide on a different sentence, but that would give Peterson the right to change her plea, said federal prosecutor Jan Sharp. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for September.

Her family burst out of the court room Wednesday shouting at reporters, telling them to "ask (the victim) how old he is," and saying Peterson is being unjustly accused.

Peterson's attorney, James Martin Davis, has publicly questioned the boy's birth certificate. Davis said the boy was likely at least 16, and that he was the aggressor.

Amy Peck, an attorney for the boy and his family, said that suggestion was disgusting.

"He was a 12-year-old boy and the defendant knew it," Peck said Wednesday. "The result of this lower plea could have been obtained without playing to every racial stereotype that there is."

Peterson taught the boy during the 2005 to 2006 school year, then started having sex with him in November 2006, according to court documents.

The pair disappeared in October, soon after the district's superintendent confronted Peterson about allegations of an inappropriate relationship with the boy, then 13.

She was arrested a week later in Mexicali, Mexico.

In an interview to be aired Thursday on ABC's "Good Morning America," the boy, who is now 14, said Peterson cried and told him she loved him when they were discovered by authorities in Mexico.

He said he told Peterson he loved her, too. He's now living in Nebraska with his parents, although his attorney wouldn't say where.

A portion of the interview was aired Wednesday on the local ABC affiliate, KETV.

The guilty plea doesn't mean Peterson is off the hook on state charges, which include kidnapping and first-degree sexual assault. Her attorney said he hoped those charges would be dropped.

Teacher-Student Affairs

Debra LafaveChris O'Meara, AP

Former middle school teacher Debra Lafave was sentenced to house arrest and probation in 2005 after pleading guilty to charges that she had sex with a 14-year-old student.

1 of 8PHOTOS

X | Close
But Dawson County Attorney Elizabeth Waterman said Wednesday there are no plans to drop the state charges.

"Right now she's charged with what she's charged with," Waterman said. "The nature of any type of deal, I don't want to speculate on that."

Peterson likely won't be brought back to Dawson County to face state charges until after the federal sentencing, Waterman said.

The Associated Press previously named the boy as police were searching for him but stopped using his name after authorities charged Peterson with a sex crime.

He was an illegal immigrant in the United States when he left with Peterson. He's now back in Nebraska temporarily after being granted humanitarian parole by the Department of Homeland Security.

Peck said she plans to ask the U.S. attorney's office for a visa that could put the boy and his parents on the path to citizenship.

The "U" visa is designed for victims of certain crimes and their families and needs the backing of someone involved with prosecuting, investigating or judging the case.

"We have not been promised anything at this point," Peck said.

Said U.S. Attorney Joe Stecher: "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2008-07-03 09:54:32
Bookmark

Recent Comments

1 - 10 of 737
737 comments

atmame77 04:18:55 PM Jul 09 2008

I bet his grades went up 20 points.Sorry folks I don't believe this is a crime.Call Me a sexist if you want. But when a older woman goes after a younger lad it's just another trophy on His belt. A real moral booster.

p8re0t 12:36:58 PM Jul 07 2008

Debra La fave got probation because she is beautiful. No other reason. Ms. Peterson lacks that striking beauty (almost pig nosed) She, therefore will do time.

adamkwyhmed 10:04:46 PM Jul 06 2008

"Show me proof that a teenage boy is equally damaged as a girl would be.." -- How about the fact that the perception of boys/men towards girls/women, (who are abused), becomes altered when they are raped. What do you say to the men who have a hard time with their relationships to their spouses and other women due to the trust they had in women that was literally ripped away because, as a child, they were rapped. It both desensitizes them in their relationship towards women as well as affecting and altering their personal growth. It does affect both girls and boys when a physical/emotional violation has occurred, (willingly or un-willingly).

mariperez83 01:45:58 AM Jul 06 2008

HOW SICK IS THIS WOMAN !!!!!!

igreen215 02:22:30 PM Jul 05 2008

Debra Lafave abuse me. Kids dont know how lucky they are.....you have to pay big bucks for spankings by middle age women when the graduate......LMAO

grunzen08 07:51:13 AM Jul 05 2008

America's one size fits all is extreme and cases like this one is a prime example.Harming a young girl is inexcusable and different than young boy's. I know that is politically incorrect to say what people have known since day one however it's only been since the liberals took control of Laws aprox.40 years ago that this one size, no tolerance nonsense became public policy

travlnmn001 06:54:45 PM Jul 04 2008

Stargazer, I agree no teacher has the right .. regardless of gender. And I agree with your advice to the future female teacher. "Pond scum"? Perhaps, but I reserve that phrase for certain politicians. In my opinion, to imply that gender is irrelevant in the punishment phase is going too far. Show me proof that a teenage boy is equally damaged as a girl would be. Maybe some can be -- and I agree that each case should be considered on its own merits. But I wonder how badly this boy was really damaged. Most boys would be bragging about it. Some people get off with 10 years or less for murder while a woman in Texas gets 40 years for sex with a 16 year old boy -- probably because she was older and not pretty. That's just crazy. Just fire her, put her on the offender list, and send her to counseling for heaven's sake. Do what you want with the male predators. Maybe even lock them up with the politicians. Now that would be justice.

stargazer33154 05:28:49 PM Jul 04 2008

any adult who preys on kids(regardless of gender) is pond scum..and the physcological effect on a boys can be just as bad as for a girl..and no teacher male or female has the right to initiate sex with a child..had a future teacher last night going on about how she wasn't bad looking and said it's hard to ignore urges sometimes..my advice was it's never ok and if you can't control those urges then you shouldn't take any job that deals with kids

travlnmn001 03:39:10 PM Jul 04 2008

Gar, It sounds like you have anger issues towards women. The crimes are NOT equal nor should they be treated equally. When a man takes advantage of an underaged girl, there is a very high probability that she will suffer psychological damage, social damage and perhaps physical damage. When a woman "takes advantage" of a teenage boy, physical and psychological damage are unlikely, and it would probably increase his self confidence. I'm not condoning either crime, but the punishment should be proportional to the damage done. There is some damage done when a female is the perpetrator (in that she gains more control over the boy than his parents have and thus potentially undermines their authority.) But the damage is nowhere near the damage done to an underaged female by a male. This should NOT be a gender-neutral crime because men and women are different. To say that they must be treated equally indicates you either want to ignore those differences or that you have some other a

gar9101 03:03:51 PM Jul 04 2008

Let's see now, I they both were men Theywould be charged ans Pediphillies and put in prision for at least 30 years. I am begaining to believe that we have a double standered here when it come's to men or women having sex with underaGE KIDS, NOTE, I said KIDS. Because thats what they are, KIDS. They should get the same as men when it come to sex with underage childeren. Damn, it make's me so mad, Oh well, thats the American justice system for you. If you have money or are a women then you get off easy.

1 - 10 of 737
737 comments

Add your own Comments

* Want the latest Hot Seat polls delivered to your Vista desktop? Hot Seat Vista Gadget »

Top Videos

News Bloggers

Mo Rocca