An Ohio teacher was caught having an affair with a student while she was employed at the school.
Caroline Johnson, 36, a former teacher in the Bloom-Vernon Local School District, has been sentenced to one year in prison for engaging in a sexual relationship with a student, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced.
Ohio law prohibits individuals in positions of power from engaging in sexual relationships with students at the schools where they work, regardless of the student's age or perceived consent. Upon her release, Johnson, will be required to register as a Tier III sex offender for life.
Johnson Sent the Victim Several Texts, Emails Before Starting a Sexual Relationship
Prosecutors wrote that Johnson was an intervention specialist/teacher's aide in several of the victim's classes. The victim recalled that she asked him if he checked his email, which led to several emails, texts, and Snapchat messages, and ultimately led to the pair engaging in sexual activity. When he told her his parents found out, prosecutors said she instructed the victim to deny it and delete all messages.
'She Destroyed Her Career, Family, and Reputation for the Thrill of an Affair'
"There's one last lesson to be learned from this former teacher, students are not targets for sexual relationships," said Yost. "She destroyed her career, family and reputation for the thrill of an affair, without bothering to think about the consequences."
Johnson was indicted on charges of sexual battery in December, last year. She pleaded guilty in October to two counts of sexual battery following an investigation by Yost's Bureau of Criminal Investigation, which revealed she had engaged in sexual activity with a minor during her tenure as a coach and intervention specialist at Bloom-Vernon Local Schools.
