Former NFL cheerleader pleads guilty in sex case
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COVINGTON, Ky. (AP) - A former Cincinnati Bengals cheerleader pleaded guilty Monday to having sex with her 17-year-old former student while she was a teacher at a northern Kentucky high school, a move that will allow her to avoid jail time.
In a tearful admission in Kenton County Circuit Court in Covington, Ky., 27-year-old Sarah Jones pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct and custodial interference in place of more serious charges as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors.
"I began a romantic relationship while he was a student and I was in a position of authority," Jones said, her voice cracking as her family members wiped their own tears.
Jones said the relationship began in February 2011 when the boy was 17, saying that the two had sex, that she sent him sexually explicit text messages and lied about the relationship to police.
The teen had been in Jones' freshman English class in 2008, and she was his peer tutor in 2010 and 2011 before he graduated at the age of 17 this year, according to Monday's plea agreement, signed by Jones.
In accepting the plea agreement, Judge Patricia Summe granted prosecutors' recommendation to sentence Jones to five years of diversion but no jail time, and she won't have to register as a sex offender. The diversion requires Jones to report to a probation officer and undergo drug tests.
Prosecutors said they were willing to make the deal because the teen, now 18, and his family were uncooperative with them and on Jones' side.
"We feel that it is a just and it is a fair result," prosecutor Sara Farmer said. "It's certainly difficult when a victim and his family don't cooperate by not providing information, but it makes our case a lot harder when they're actually proactive for a defendant, and in this case, the family was more than supportive of the Jones (family). They were proactive for them."
Jones had taught at Dixie Heights High School before resigning last November. She was indicted in March, and her trial had been set to start Wednesday.
Part of the reason defense attorney Eric Deters said Jones was willing to plead guilty was because Summe had denied his request to keep the text messages that she sent to the teen out of the trial.
"They're embarrassing," Deters told reporters after the hearing. "They were steamy."
He also said that now that the teen is 18 years old, he and Jones "are free to be together" and pointed out that they left the courtroom together.
Deters declined to discuss details of their current relationship, saying that the pair would discuss it on the "Today" show and "Dateline" on Friday.
He said that Jones will not try out to be a Bengals cheerleader in the future, and that for now, she's working as a legal assistant in his office.
Jones has expressed interest in becoming a lawyer and is studying to take the Law School Admission Test, he said.
Before any accusations involving the student surfaced, Jones drew public attention when she sued a Scottsdale, Ariz.-based gossip website over a posting dated Dec. 7, 2009, that included her photo and was headlined "The Dirty Bengals Cheerleader." The posting claimed that Jones' ex-boyfriend cheated on her with more than 50 women, contracted chlamydia and gonorrhea, and likely gave it to her.
Another post on the site, Thedirty.com, accused Jones of having sex in the classroom and said, "Why are all high school teachers freaks in the sack?"
Jones resigned as a teacher at Dixie Heights and from the Bengals cheer squad in late 2011 after four years with both jobs. Deters said at the time that she had done nothing wrong and stepped down because a rumor that she had become involved with a student became too much.
The lawsuit, which accuses the website and its creator of defamation and invasion of privacy and seeks $11 million in damages, was on hold until the criminal case was resolved.
Deters now is asking for a January trial date in the matter.
Jones' mother, former school principal Cheryl Armstrong Jones, also pleaded guilty Monday, to a misdemeanor charge of attempted tampering with evidence. She admitted to the judge that she sent the teen a text message telling him to get rid of his phone and also avoided jail time.
In a tearful admission in Kenton County Circuit Court in Covington, Ky., 27-year-old Sarah Jones pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct and custodial interference in place of more serious charges as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors.
"I began a romantic relationship while he was a student and I was in a position of authority," Jones said, her voice cracking as her family members wiped their own tears.
Jones said the relationship began in February 2011 when the boy was 17, saying that the two had sex, that she sent him sexually explicit text messages and lied about the relationship to police.
The teen had been in Jones' freshman English class in 2008, and she was his peer tutor in 2010 and 2011 before he graduated at the age of 17 this year, according to Monday's plea agreement, signed by Jones.
In accepting the plea agreement, Judge Patricia Summe granted prosecutors' recommendation to sentence Jones to five years of diversion but no jail time, and she won't have to register as a sex offender. The diversion requires Jones to report to a probation officer and undergo drug tests.
Prosecutors said they were willing to make the deal because the teen, now 18, and his family were uncooperative with them and on Jones' side.
"We feel that it is a just and it is a fair result," prosecutor Sara Farmer said. "It's certainly difficult when a victim and his family don't cooperate by not providing information, but it makes our case a lot harder when they're actually proactive for a defendant, and in this case, the family was more than supportive of the Jones (family). They were proactive for them."
Jones had taught at Dixie Heights High School before resigning last November. She was indicted in March, and her trial had been set to start Wednesday.
Part of the reason defense attorney Eric Deters said Jones was willing to plead guilty was because Summe had denied his request to keep the text messages that she sent to the teen out of the trial.
"They're embarrassing," Deters told reporters after the hearing. "They were steamy."
He also said that now that the teen is 18 years old, he and Jones "are free to be together" and pointed out that they left the courtroom together.
Deters declined to discuss details of their current relationship, saying that the pair would discuss it on the "Today" show and "Dateline" on Friday.
He said that Jones will not try out to be a Bengals cheerleader in the future, and that for now, she's working as a legal assistant in his office.
Jones has expressed interest in becoming a lawyer and is studying to take the Law School Admission Test, he said.
Before any accusations involving the student surfaced, Jones drew public attention when she sued a Scottsdale, Ariz.-based gossip website over a posting dated Dec. 7, 2009, that included her photo and was headlined "The Dirty Bengals Cheerleader." The posting claimed that Jones' ex-boyfriend cheated on her with more than 50 women, contracted chlamydia and gonorrhea, and likely gave it to her.
Another post on the site, Thedirty.com, accused Jones of having sex in the classroom and said, "Why are all high school teachers freaks in the sack?"
Jones resigned as a teacher at Dixie Heights and from the Bengals cheer squad in late 2011 after four years with both jobs. Deters said at the time that she had done nothing wrong and stepped down because a rumor that she had become involved with a student became too much.
The lawsuit, which accuses the website and its creator of defamation and invasion of privacy and seeks $11 million in damages, was on hold until the criminal case was resolved.
Deters now is asking for a January trial date in the matter.
Jones' mother, former school principal Cheryl Armstrong Jones, also pleaded guilty Monday, to a misdemeanor charge of attempted tampering with evidence. She admitted to the judge that she sent the teen a text message telling him to get rid of his phone and also avoided jail time.
As a society, we need to end this insanity with statutory rape laws. Also, teens should be granted the same rights as adults.
@James Gnau - Teens with the same rights? What rights are we talking about? And how much of a teen are we talking about? 13?, 16?
A 17 year old gets freaky with his teacher, who was also an NFL Cheerleader......fer Chrissakes this isn't a crime, it's a Motley Crue song. Get over it, people.
 @Morgan/Wilson2012 Best post EVER.
Lucky guy !!
If 17 year old guys can't nail NFL cheerleaders then the terrorists have won.
I had a hot history teacher in high school.. I tried to get her to go party all the time.. this was in the 70's though.. how times have changed.
She could sure teach me a thing or two.
I don't care what anyone has to say, if I was in HS and she wanted me? I'd be the happiest guy in school.
27-year-old Sarah Jones, Take a real good look at your mother, you crazy sexy woman. That's exactly what you'll look like in about 30 years, so get the mileage that you can with that gorgeous (at least for now!) body of yours while you are able.
busted for this...really?? what a joke and a wasted of tax payer money... both sides were willing... and the kid is going to be extremely popular... dumb politically correct prudes... who ever went after her for this should be the ones in trouble for wasting everyones time...
 @LordBear On the very day that Jerry Sandusky is sentenced to serve the rest of his predatory days behind bars - Lordbear presumes all child rape - predatory child rape between predatory POWER ENRAGED authority figures and young children - is "willing".Â
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Child victims will end up popular and all. Ah, this little boy was selected out by this predatory lecherous public teacher when he was 13 or 14 years old - a freshman in high school. And then it proceeded from there - preening him, preying upon him. Sexually abusing him. Year after year. Child rape incident after child rape incident.Â
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None of it was "willing". Back in Pennsylvania or out in Kentucky. Or inside of Oregon public classrooms. Between child rapist public teachers and their students. None of it.Â
 @englishdaisy See you are out Trolling for Jesus again. Now that you mention Child Rapist Public Teachers, how about all those Catholic Priests raping boys for the last 2000 years? The Religous Perverts have allways been the most Deviant and disgusting of all sexual predators. The kid was 17, there was a 10 year difference, I am sure that it was not his first sexual experience by that age and I do not know of a single guy in the world that did not fantasize about something like this at his age. I am not condoning her lack of judgement and she should probably never teach again but for you to spout off accusing all Public Teachers of being predators you just show your ingnorance and intolerance, just because you want to live in the Victorian Era does not give you the right to drag the rest of Civilization down to your level. It is sad because I actually agree with you at times but your attitude repulses me to the core. I feel the same way about the Political Parties at this point as well, our Nation will Drown in Debt while our Representatives refuse to compromise and cling to thier Fanatical ways. You can not Compromise and get things done with a closed mind.
Story should have included a picture of the former students smile.
If she were a man, he'd get 25 years
 @archon312 I have to agree that there is a double standard applied to these types of cases.
maybe i was wrong about the public schools being so bad,I shoulda of never dropped out had I known, I could bag a Hot Cougar.
Ick. This sexual predator started to groom her child victim when he was a FRESHMAN and the state of Kentucky makes a deal with this child rapist today - so she can proceed on - preying upon him for now. And when this victim is used up by her - she is free to proceed on to other children - seeing how she made a deal and is not labeled as a SEXUAL PREDATOR by the state of Kentucky. Heck - she will probably be back teaching 13 and 14 year old children real soo. Preying upon someone else's young boy - raping that little boy - real soon. Yep.Â
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What a peach of a public school teacher. Right there.Â
 @englishdaisy LOL!
 @englishdaisy Call me crazy but I don't think she has to put too much effort into "grooming" the guys, my guess is they'd line up and volunteer.
Wait, I thought she claimed she was innocent?
Another prime example of the special rights women have in the legal system. Utterly Amazing! Even if a male had been falsely accused of engaging in a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old, he would most certainly serve jail time and be forced to register as a sex offender. I've about had it with how we give women the "get out of jail card" on next to everything. Â
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Look locally. A drunk girl assaulted Jefferson Smith and had her name protected from the media. Meanwhile, Jefferson Smith -- THE VICTIM -- was forced to apologize, do community service and pay her bills merely for defending himself.Â
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Why aren't the Feminist so vocal on "equality" in the legal system for women who break the laws? Oh. That's right. Because Feminism is only concerned about getting women and women first in line for all the goodies. Including receiving the same pay as men while not doing the same, demanding work as men.Â
 @Lisa It is sad that the system is not blind to the victims sex but you don't have to look very far like say the porn industry to understand that men and women are different in that respect.
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As an earlier poster said the only grooming she would have to do to attract the attention of 90% of the boys was to just act interested in them.
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If it were the other way around I expect an attractive man would have to put in a lot more effort to attract even a few percent of the high school girls.
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Not saying it right but it just the way mother nature designed us otherwise we would likely be extinct by now and may be why the law tends to be more lenient on deviant women then men.
Holy crud! This cheerleader needs to be in jail! Simply put - a child molester does not deserve to be out and about. Look at Mary Kay Letourneau. Until that boy is 18 years old, he was a minor, and the woman should have been charged forthrightly. This just really makes me sick that her mother was so involved, and she herself is an "educator".Â
"It's certainly difficult when a victim and his family don't cooperate by not providing information So, we have a n unfair am injust system, where having sex with a 17 year old boy differs from having sex with a 17 year old girl. Girls are apt to be more emotional then boys. Nice one You just Showed Bias.
Well, The Boy gets "Sex 101" and the teacher doesn't get time... Fascinating. So Now what if the role was reversed and a girls family refuses to cooperate? isn't it time to make it equal time for the crime?
 @lee986321 Based on this news report she was allowed by the State of Kentucky's supervision of its public school teachers - to start preying upon and "grooming" this child back when he was a 13 or 14 year old freshman.Â
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This is not a news story about sex 101 - this is a news expose about sexual predators in our public schools - and how they prey upon children, overpower child and RAPE defenseless children. Time and time again. And in this case - since she began preying upon this boy when he was 13 or 14 - I would imagine this rapist Kentucky public school teacher - will select another young boy real soon - prey upon him and RAPE HIM, too.Â
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What the heck - she is so smart and all - at making deals of the century in order to SAVE HER CHILD RAPIST skin..Â
LOL!
I just don't understand why females feel so compelled to make themselves look so fake.
Looks like she uses a putty knife to put on her makeup just sayin!!
Man this chick went way downhill, she doesn't even look like the same person!
 @portlandborn83 It's amazing what make up will do to a person. It looks like she has a lot on in the cheer leading photo.
I find it curious that if this teen had commited a felony, it would pretty much be a sure bet that he would be tried as an adult. However bumpin fuzzies with the teacher and he is still considered a minor. Dumb, very dumb
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Now it is pretty bone headed of the teacher and I believe the school district has a right to fire her, but criminal charges are just stupid.........
 @kramr I completely agree.  We are so quick to say a 16 or 17 year old can be tried as an adult for violent crime, but if 16 or 17 they are a child again if it has anything to do with sex.  Granted, yes teacher stupid.  Dont date students, if you want to quit job, wait tell they are an adult.  Done deal.  But I agree, this is not a sexual predator miss English prude Daisy.  She is if by any means dumb in this situation.  True pedos like kids under 12.  Wow.  ok  they never said she preyed upon him when he was 13 or 14 but that she taught him than.  Yes there are freaks out there, who are only attracted to kids and will not stop, and are violent, she is however not in that class.  But even though she got this light sentence, she will never be accepted into peoples public court of opinion.  So even if she wanted to change and say she was sorry, and bow down and kiss your precious Daisy feet, you would not forgive her, oh you would not.
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 @kramr It's Kentucky. That should say a lot.
 @kramr I do get the irony of what you're referring to, and agree by en large with your observations. My only issue is with a teacher (male or female) treating the public school system as a singles club to find their dates.Â
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If her 'friend with benefits' had been over age 16, and if she had met him at the park, or a local dance club, I'd have no problem with their relationship. As a teacher, she has a responsibility to keep her libido in check with those in her charge. Regardless of their age.Â
As a man who clearly remembers he teens years, the 17 year old was NO victim.
I think I'm going to have to re-read this story with Hot For Teacher by Van Halen cranked up :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4GZFbCqx18
I guess I was born too soon. Â All my female teachers tipped the scales well over the 200 mark, wore salvation army shoes and had faces borrowed from the Portland zoo. Â
So, what did we learn here.... If you're a 27 year old male teacher who has a 'consentual' sexual relationship with a 17 year old female student, you will likely get years behind bars and a lifetime sexual offender registration requirement on your conviction (which is more a formality than a trial). If, however, you are a 27 year old attractive female teacher who has a 'consentual' sexual relationship with a 17 year old male student, you will get no jail time, drug testing, and not be allowed to teach again.Â
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Yeah, that seems equitable.Â
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Justice doesn't wear a blindfold because she is blind, she wears it because she is embarrased by what our judicial system has become.Â
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Frankly, I think that adolescents over the age of 16 should legally be able to consent to sexual relations, but the fact that this woman was a teacher would be an aggravating circumstance in the case that should (IMO) demand at LEAST jail time and lifetime sexual offender registration.Â
All great points
 @MarkKpic Thanks for posting what I was going to post. I know that in Europe it is either 15 or 16 years of age.
 @terre08  @MarkKpic hmm here in Washington you can be an imancipatd minor, I would like to see what happens when emancipation has occurred and the 2 decide to go at it? and you might want to check or statutes here in wa, legal age for consent is 16, but then parents still can press charges, What we need is a clear line... oh and legal age of consent and legal age to mary...Well now there is one that is confusing...Oh and weird law..It is illegal to "deflower a girl."
 @MarkKpic  @lee986321  @terre08 Probably depends on how close the prosecutor is to re-election.
 @lee986321  @terre08  @MarkKpic Not sure about WA laws, or even the laws where this woman is from (KY), but in OR the charge is predicated upon the age, irrelevent of emancipation. In all fairness, I've never seen a case where a relationship between an emancipated 16 year old and an adult was prosecuted, but by the letter of the law it could happen.
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It also bears noting that in ORS, there is no longer a charge of 'statutory rape'. It has been replaced by 'contributing to the sexual delinquency of a minor'. The difference is that a statutory rape conviction would require that it be proven that the sex was not 'concentual', while contributing only requires proving that it occurred. Another noteworthy point is that in ORS, there is no increase in penalty or severity of charges unless the adult is a 'coach' by legal definition. Teachers receive no additional considerations under current Oregon law other than the criminal statutes that anyone else would encounter should they have a sexual encounter with a minor.
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By the age of 16, I've yet to meet a (statutory) minor who is not capable of making decisions for themselves with regard to what they do with their own bodies. Forceable sexual assult is a completely different story, and should be treated as such. But, when a 20 year old has the rest of their lives ruined because of a consentual relationship with a 16 year old... It's just plain wrong. IMO, it's a legislative version of nanny state laws.Â
 @terre08  @MarkKpic But then here is the issue:
TITLE 13. JUVENILE COURTS AND JUVENILE OFFENDERS CHAPTER 13.64. EMANCIPATION OF MINORS § 13.64.010. Declaration of emancipation. Any minor who is sixteen years of age or older and who is a resident of this state may petition in the superior court for a declaration of emancipation.
13.64.060. Power and capacity of emancipated minor. (1) An emancipated minor shall be considered to have the power and capacity of an adult, except as provided in subsection (2) of this section. A minor shall be considered emancipated for the purposes of, but not limited to: (a) The termination of parental obligations of financial support, care, supervision, and any other obligation the parent may have by virtue of the parent-child relationship, including obligations imposed because of marital dissolution; (b) The right to sue or be sued in his or her own name; (c) The right to retain his or her own earnings; (d) The right to establish a separate residence or domicile; (e) The right to enter into nonvoidable contracts; (f) The right to act autonomously, and with the power and capacity of an adult, in all business relationships, including but not limited to property transactions; (g) The right to work, and earn a living, subject only to the health and safety regulations designed to protect those under age of majority regardless of their legal status; and (h) The right to give informed consent for receiving health care services. (2) An emancipated minor shall not be considered an adult for: (a) The purposes of the adult criminal laws of the state unless the decline of jurisdiction procedures contained in RCW 13.40.110 are used or the minor is tried in criminal court pursuant to *RCW 13.04.030(1)(e)(iv); (b) the criminal laws of the state when the emancipated minor is a victim and the age of the victim is an element of the offense; or (c) those specific constitutional and statutory age requirements regarding voting, use of alcoholic beverages, possession of firearms, and other health and safety regulations relevant to the minor because of the minor's age.
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@terre08@MarkKpic
Marriage License Washington State Applying for a Marriage License:
Both the potential bride and groom must be present to apply for a marriage license.
Requirements: Both applicants must be at least 18 years of age or older and must have a current photo ID as proof of your age. Applicants who are 17 years of age must be accompanied by one parent or legal guardian who can provide consent. Applicants under the age of 17 must obtain permission from the Family Court. Blood tests and physical exams are not required to obtain a marriage license. Applicants do not have to be residents of the State of Washington to obtain a marriage license. The license is only valid for weddings that are performed within the state of Washington. Proof of divorce from a previous spouse, or death of a spouse, is not required to obtain a marriage license.  It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the final decree of divorce is filed before applying for a new marriage license. Same sex marriages are not recognized in the State of Washington. For information about domestic partnership for same-sex couples please visit here!
 @terre08  @MarkKpic http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9A.44 see RCW 9A.44.093 Sexual misconduct with a minor in the first degree. (1) A person is guilty of sexual misconduct with a minor in the first degree when: (a) The person has, or knowingly causes another person under the age of eighteen to have, sexual intercourse with another person who is at least sixteen years old but less than eighteen years old and not married to the perpetrator, if the perpetrator is at least sixty months older than the victim, is in a significant relationship to the victim, and abuses a supervisory position within that relationship in order to engage in or cause another person under the age of eighteen to engage in sexual intercourse with the victim; (b) the person is a school employee who has, or knowingly causes another person under the age of eighteen to have, sexual intercourse with a registered student of the school who is at least sixteen years old and not married to the employee, if the employee is at least sixty months older than the student; or (c) the person is a foster parent who has, or knowingly causes another person under the age of eighteen to have, sexual intercourse with his or her foster child who is at least sixteen. (2) Sexual misconduct with a minor in the first degree is a class C felony.
My heart just breaks for that poor boy. That's just about the worst thing that could happen to a 17 year old boy. Thank goodness the authorities tracked her down and punished her for absolutely rocking his world. Nevermind the drug cartels and serial killers -- seventeen year old boys are nailing hot cheerleaders!!!
Why would a 27 year old woman even want to have sex with a 17 year old? The whole act was probably over in 10 seconds.
 @Dirtman I think you answered your own question ;)
"Prosecutors said they were willing to make the deal because the teen, now 18, and his family were uncooperative with them and took Jones' side."
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How much money did the state waste trying to prosecute? Ridiculous. Clearly this young man did not suffer from his experiences, besides what guy doesn't want to get it on with a hot cheerleader??? It's practically mandatory for a teen to TRY to accomplish this during his teen years.