Ex-Cincinnati Bengals cheerleader has pleaded guilty on Monday to having sex with her 17 year old former student and sending sexual text messages when she was still a teacher at a northern Kentucky high school. The 27 year old Sarah Jones had pled guilty to sexual misconduct and custodial interference. She also lied to the police about her relationship.
Now, she has admitted to having a "sexual relationship and sexual intercourse” with a minor and former student.Her case raises the power dynamics of teachers and students and the inacceptability of sexual relationships between the two. Jones was in a position of trust and authority and abused that confidence a minor can have in a teacher and the safety which students and parents can expect within the schools. Her behavior offenses the public's sensibilities.
"I began a romantic relationship while he was a student and I was in a position of authority," Jones expressed with shame in the presence of the her family members.
Jones will not be receiving jail time but five years of diversion. A huge part of the punishment is attributed to the boy turning 18 and his family’s support for Jones and lack of cooperation with the case more generally.
They were even seen to be leaving the courtroom together and now that he is of age of majority, they are “free to be together”.
"We feel that it is a just and it is a fair result," prosecutor Sara Farmer said. "It's certainly difficult when a victim and his family don't cooperate by not providing information, but it makes our case a lot harder when they're actually proactive for a defendant, and in this case, the family was more than supportive of the Jones (family). They were proactive for them."
Jones is currently with her love and is taking the Law School Admission Test to become a lawyer. Fortunately she will not “have a felony hanging over her head” so she can more easily “go on with her life”, said her attorney Eric Deters.
