Just last week we discussed criminal charges leveled against a Missouri teacher involving allegations of sex crimes. Allegations of sexual offenses can result in significant consequences that are not associated with many other types of offenses, including potential sexual offender registration requirements depending on the type of the criminal charge. When a teacher is accused of a crime, professional licensing issues may follow.



When police question a person about an incident, information about other potential crimes may come to light. In general, a person suspected of a crime has the right to remain silent regarding his or her possible involvement in an offense. But, police often derive information from one person that may implicate another, and the right to be free from self-incrimination is not implicated in such a situation.

In August 2012, a Miller County deputy says that a 15-year-old girl was being questioned about an undisclosed incident when she allegedly stated that her former English teacher was the father of her 1-year-old child. Law enforcement apparently was not investigating issues related to the child’s birth. Nonetheless, the information was forwarded to the Camden County Sheriff’s Department.

The teacher, who had left the Macks Creek School District before the allegations came to light, pleaded guilty to statutory rape in April. The charge carries a potential sentence of two to five years in prison. On June 10, the judge ordered the man to serve five years. A sexual offender assessment will be conducted, and depending upon the information that is found in the final report, the judge may modify the terms of the sentence, including potentially placing the former teacher on probation.

Source: Lake News Online, “Former Macks Creek teacher sentenced to five years in prison for rape of a student,” June 10, 2014