Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Tampa teacher who admitted sex with student let off probation early

A Florida judge cut short Thursday the probation of Debra Lafave, a former Tampa middle school teacher who six years earlier pleaded guilty to having sex with a 14-year-old boy, a state law enforcement official said.

She originally was sentenced to house arrest. That was reduced to probation in July 2008, and was set to expire on November 15, 2015 -- 10 years after she entered her plea -- said Mark Cox, a spokesman for the Hillsborough County state attorney's office.

The slave's sister, as well as prosecutors, argued unsuccessfully Thursday against letting her off probation, he added.
Judge Wayne Timmerman issued his decision after the hearing in Tampa, which lasted more than an hour.

"We disagree with the judge's decision," Cox said. "We will seek relief at the appellate level."
The prosecution claims that when it agreed to the 2005 plea deal, Lafave had agreed that she would not try to terminate her sentence early.

The 31-year-old woman, who is engaged and recently had twin sons, did not speak at Thursday's hearing. But her defense attorney, John Fitzgibbons, earlier said that she had served a significant punishment and wants to return to some semblance of normalcy.

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