Florida- Former middle school teacher Debra Lafave will avoid prison for a number of sexual dalliances with a 14-year-old student after pleading guilty Tuesday to two counts of lewd and lascivious battery.
Less than two weeks before Lafave, 25, was set to face her teen victim at trial, the former Tampa schoolteacher agreed to three years of house arrest and seven years of probation for having sex with the student in her home, in a classroom and in a car in June 2004.
Dressed in a conservative black suit, Lafave quietly replied “yes” as Hillsborough Circuit Judge Wayne Timmerman asked if she agreed to several conditions as a registered sex offender.
Included in the conditions are a curfew and treatment in an outpatient program for sex offenders.
Lafave must also remain at least 1000 feet from schools, parks and other places where children congregate. She cannot possess pornographic material “related to her deviant behavior” or have unsupervised visits with children under 18.
Lafave, who faced 15-year sentences on each count had she gone to trial, made a brief statement in which she apologized to the court, the young man and his family.
“I accept full responsibility for my actions,” she said.
Defense attorney John Fitzgibbons, who previously said he was preparing a mental-illness defense on his client’s behalf, indicated that Lafave was taking medication for a number of mental-health issues, but assured the court that they did not affect her ability to understand the proceedings.
Hillsborough County Assistant State Attorney Michael Sinacore said the victim’s family asked for the plea in order to spare themselves the ordeal of a trial.
“The victim’s family indicated they wanted the case over with. Intense media in this case has put the victim in more of a spotlight than could have been anticipated,” Sinacore said at the hearing. “We do respect their request, and that is why we have rescinded our earlier position.”
Earlier plea negotiations broke off in July when prosecutors refused to back off from potential prison time for Lafave.