A 35-year-old Hernando County teacher was arrested after investigators claim she had an affair with a 16-year-old boy.
She is now facing four counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor.
According to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, the woman met the teenager through a relative.
Detectives claim she confessed to picking up the teenager on Aug. 24 in Citrus County, and then drove him to a Hernando County motel to have sex.
The teen boy apparently confirmed that the pair was engaged in a “consensual, intimate” relationship, according to reports.
Investigators apparently learned of the alleged relationship between the teacher and the teenager after the woman told a coworker at her school that she was involved in a relationship with the minor. According to officials, the coworker reported the information to school administrators, as required by law.
The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office launched an initial investigation into the case since the woman is a resident of that county and it was not yet known where the alleged sexual relationship occurred.
The Hernando County School Board is aware of the woman’s arrest. The district is conducting their own investigation into the matter, but the woman has been removed from the classroom.
The woman was booked into the Hernando County Detention Center with bail set at $20,000.
The mere accusation of a sex crime can be enough to slur anyone’s good name for life. Teachers and educators just happen to be especially vulnerable, due to the fact that one single allegation that a sex offense may have been committed can possibly be enough to prevent them from attaining and preserving employment in the future. If you are a teacher who has been accused of a sex crime in Hernando County, you must protect yourself and enlist the help of a Florida Sex Crimes Defense Lawyer at Whittel & Melton.
Being convicted of a sex crime in Florida often means mandatory and substantial prison time, as well as lifetime registration as a sex offender or sexual predator. Even after fulfilling the terms of a sex crimes conviction, you could still have difficulty gaining employment and suitable housing. The stakes are extremely high in sex crimes cases, so you must act fast and secure a sex crimes defense lawyer who can defend you against these life-shattering charges.
If you are a teacher in Hernando County or elsewhere in Florida facing a sex crimes charge, the best thing you can do to protect your job and your future is to contact a Florida Sex Crimes Attorney at Whittel & Melton as soon as possible. We are available 24/7 to provide you with a free initial consultation so that you can fully understand the charges you are up against. Contact us today online or call our main office in Hernando County at 352-666-2121 or reach us statewide and toll-free at 866-608-5529.