Married ‘Instructor of the Yr’ had scholar’s pic in pockets: prosecutors
A California elementary faculty trainer was described by prosecutors as being “obsessive, possessive, controlling and harmful” towards a former scholar that she is accused of grooming and sexually abusing.
Jacqueline Ma, a sixth-grade trainer at Lincoln Acres Elementary Faculty in Nationwide Metropolis who was named one of many county’s high educators final yr, pleaded not responsible Monday to fifteen felony expenses together with youngster intercourse abuse and youngster pornography, ABC 10 reported.
Prosecutors stated Monday {that a} image of the 13-year-old sufferer was discovered within the 34-year-old educator’s pockets, in addition to jewellery that featured the sufferer’s initials, ABC 10 reported.
Love letters apparently exchanged in her classroom in addition to textual content messages despatched between Ma and the sufferer confirmed that Ma turned annoyed when the sufferer didn’t reply to the exchanges shortly sufficient, prosecutors stated.
Deputy District Legal professional Drew Hart described Ma as “obsessive, possessive, controlling and harmful” towards the sufferer, and argued the sufferer can be in peril if she was launched. Ma faces as much as 29 years in state jail if convicted of all expenses.
The previous “Instructor of the Yr” started a sexual relationship with the sufferer when he was 12 years previous, despatched him racy images of herself and requested him to take and ship her movies of himself partaking in intercourse acts, Hart stated.
“This defendant maintained a relationship with this youngster for months, possibly much more than a yr, when she started grooming him, giving him items, serving to him with faculty, and praising him,” Hart stated.
Ma was first arrested on March 7 after a mum or dad of the sufferer suspected her 13-year-old son was “presumably having an inappropriate relationship with a former trainer,” the Nationwide Metropolis Police Division stated.
She was charged with three counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a baby underneath 14 and three counts of oral copulation with a baby underneath 14 and launched on bond.
Ma was arrested once more the subsequent day and charged with sexual misconduct, witness intimidation and a number of counts of kid pornography in connection to the identical case.
She additionally reportedly tried to contact the sufferer after her first arrest, prosecutors stated.
Whereas her protection lawyer Mario Vela requested Ma be launched on her personal recognizance, Superior Courtroom Decide Carlos Varela ordered she is held with out bail.
In making the choice for Ma to be held with out bail, Varela cited her “place of belief” in the direction of the sufferer and that one of many lewd acts counts concerned duress
Officers with the Nationwide Faculty District stated that Ma has been positioned on depart and “is not going to be returning to the campus.”