Bad Bad Teacher

(08/21/08 – Initial BBT Report)

Autumn Lee Leathers, 24, an English teacher at Mountain Ridge High School in Frostburg, Maryland has been arrested on allegations that she had a sexual relationship with a male student.

Leathers faces multiple charges, including second-degree custodial child abuse, fourth-degree sex offense, perverted practice and second-degree assault on allegations that she and the now 16-year-old boy had a sexual relationship beginning in May of this year and continuing through the summer.

The alleged victim was 15-years-old when the alleged sexual relationship started.

Leathers came to the attention of authorities when a neighbor of Leathers called after allegedly noticing the student at Leathers’ home several times in the late evening.

Allegedly the boy told police that he had engaged in sexual intercourse with her in May when he was age 15. He also told investigators that he had ongoing sexual relations with Leathers over the last three months at her Frostburg residence.

Following her arrest Leathers was being initially held in the Allegany County Detention Center in lieu of $25,000 bond.

Reportedly Leathers has been placed on administrative leave by the school district.

08/26/08 – Release on Bond, Preliminary Hearing Set

Autumn Lee Leathers has been freed on $25,000 bond.

She has a preliminary hearing scheduled for September 19th.

Leathers remains on administrative leave without pay pending action by the school board.

09/18/08 – Leathers Indicted By Grand Jury

Autumn Leathers was scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Friday but the state’s attorney instead decided to take the case to the grand jury.

The Allegany County grand jury indicted Leathers on charges of sex abuse of a minor, custodial child abuse and sex offenses and a criminal summons was given to Leather’s attorney.

Leathers will be required to appear in court for an initial hearing but a court date has not been set.

Leathers remains free on bond.

10/07/08 – Court Appearance

Autumn Leathers appeared in court for her initial arraignment.

Leathers next court appearance is set for December 23 for a motions hearing.

Leathers remains free on $25,000 bond.

01/27/09 – Guilty Plea

Today, in a court hearing in Cumberland, Maryland, Autumn Leathers pleaded guilty to one count of fourth-degree sex offense.

As part of the plea deal with prosecutors, all other charges were reportedly dropped.

No sentencing date was set at today’s hearing, however Leather faces a maximum of one year in jail, a $1,000 fine and a requirement to register a sex offender.

04/02/09 – Sentencing

Autumn Leathers was sentenced today in Allegany County Circuit Court to a suspended one-year jail term.

Leathers was also ordered to register as a sex offender.

Leathers was also order to serve to five years of unsupervised probation with no contact with the victim, at least until he becomes 18 years old, and she must obey all laws.

References:

Former Mountain Ridge teacher must register as sex offender (04/02/09)

Teacher Admits Sex Offense With Student (01/27/09)

Allegany County teachers in court, to return in December (10/07/08)

Teacher formerly of Springdale indicted for having sex with student (09/18/08)

Teacher charged with sex offense posts bond (08/26/08)

Mountain Ridge teacher charged for alleged sexual relations with student (08/21/08)

Frostburg teacher accused of sex with student (08/21/08)

Teacher Arrested, Accused Of Having Sex With Student (08/21/08)

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 2nd, 2009 at 8:40 pm and is filed under English Teachers, FE-MV, Hall of Shame, High Schools, Maryland. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.