A married high school teacher in Mississippi was arrested after allegedly having an affair with a student that he reportedly planned to take out of state so they could be wed.
According to reports, last Spring, a 38-year-old physics teacher at Ocean Springs High School and a 17-year-old female student allegedly engaged in a relationship involving sex. Occasionally, the man allegedly took the teen to his Fort Bayou Estates home, and at other times they reportedly parked in a Walmart parking lot to engage in sexual relations.
The pair reportedly decided to leave the state and go to Louisiana so they could get married, even though the man has a wife and a young child.
At the end of November, the girl and her parents notified the authorities and reported the situation. The girl reportedly said she was going through an emotional time when she and the teacher started to hook up. She believed he took advantage of her vulnerable state.
The man reportedly said the couple had sex approximately once per month, and that he did not think it was illegal to be with the young woman.
On November 30, the suspect was taken into custody and booked into the Jackson County Jail. He is currently facing preliminary charges of one felony count of sexual battery, but additional charges may be added. He is being held in lieu of a $150,000 bond. Upon his release, he is disallowed from having any contact with the alleged victim and her family. It was reported that he has retained an attorney.
When the Ocean Springs School District found out about the situation, they fired the man from his teaching job.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a sexual offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.