North Dakota parents and authorities usually expect teachers to uphold a certain level of conduct and professionalism with their students. Any suspected violation of these standards can lead to serious criminal consequences for those involved. A high school math teacher recently resigned her position after she was arrested for allegedly engaging in sex crimes with a student.
The 24-year-old former teacher was arrested on Jan. 22, 2019, after which she submitted her resignation. The arrest came only days after authorities were alerted to a potential inappropriate relationship between the math teacher and a 17-year-old male student. The student had allegedly been overheard telling someone that his math teacher could face serious consequences because she had sent him inappropriate pictures.
According to police, the teacher admitted that she sent multiple nude photographs to the student. She apparently used Snapchat to send the pictures. Some of the pictures also included suggestive messages, including one which mentioned playing the childhood game of hide-and-seek in the nude. This was her first year employed as a full-time teacher, and as police continue their investigation they are trying to determine whether she might have engaged in similar behavior during her previous years of substitute teaching.
Sex crimes charges are particularly serious in nature and can lead to long-term consequences if convicted. North Dakota defendants face potential jail time, fines and criminal records that prevent them from pursuing certain career paths. In order to minimize these potential consequences, defendants are well advised to focus carefully on their criminal defense planning.
