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Polk County Teacher Jennifer Fichter Sentenced To 22 Years

Polk county teacher (*22*) Fichter used to be sentenced to 22 years in prison for attractive in s*xual activity with 3 17-year-old scholars on multiple occasions. 

Fichter, who pleaded responsible to 37 kid s*x fees in March, mouthed the words “I love you” and waved to family participants as she was once taken away through a bailiff after the sentencing. 

The Circuit Judge Glenn Shelby sentenced Fichter to 3 years not up to the plea deal offered through the State Attorney’s Office. 

Each rate of illegal s*xual task with a minor carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in jail. 

Before the sentencing, Fichter spoke to the mother of one of the vital victims and apologized for the crime.

The investigation and the arrest

Fichter was to start with arrested on April 14, 2014, on allegations of engaging in a s*xual relationship with considered one of her students at the Central Florida Aerospace Academy in Lakeland, where she had taught English for three years. 

The academy, which is a part of Kathleen High School, holds classes at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport. 

The Polk County School Board fired Fichter per week after her arrest. 

Following information reports of her arrest, two more youngsters, both 17-year-old male scholars of Fichter, came forward, main to 27 new charges in Polk County in addition to the 10 counts Fichter already confronted.

During the hearing, Circuit Judge Glenn Shelby emphasized that their ages didn’t make the victims any less of a sufferer. 

He said that Fichter used to be the grownup, the teacher, the position style, and he or she violated one of the vital nice trusts they have, which is trusting academics with their kids. 

The mom of one of the crucial sufferers and Assistant State Attorney Ashley Krieger both told Shelby that the teenager by no means instructed his folks about an abortion Fichter won. 

Later, the fogeys realized that he have been the father. Krieger argued that Fichter must no longer receive a much less severe sentence than a man who had s*x with 3 17-year-old girls.

Matthew Farmer, the legal professional for Fichter, advised Shelby that folks of 2 of the teenagers requested the judge to be merciful. 

He mentioned that no less than one has mentioned that no severe punishment is important. 

However, Krieger identified that Fichter lied to a victim’s mother, and he had to stay a huge secret from his oldsters. 

The testimony lasted about three hours before Shelby advised the lawyers that he would learn about shows and testimony prior to you make a decision. 

He returned to the bench after about ten mins along with his resolution and stated that there wasn’t a need for probation following the sentence.

Part of the listening to integrated a lengthy recorded phone conversation by way of Lakeland police of a call between a victim’s mother and Fichter after the mummy had found out concerning the relationship

Fichter informed the teenager’s mother that she still wanted to be with him and asked if she may just talk with him anytime soon. 

The mom mentioned her son had by no means had a girlfriend earlier than meeting Fichter. 

Initially, her son lied concerning the courting, telling his mother it was once an older teen he was once seeing. Eventually, his mother noticed a lot of text messages and found out it was Fichter. Her son remains in counseling, she mentioned.

Fichter nonetheless faces three an identical charges in Hillsborough County. A hearing is scheduled for Wednesday. 

The case highlights the importance of defending children from s*xual abuse and exploitation. 

Teachers, who are entrusted with the schooling and welfare of youngsters, must uphold prime ethical requirements and appreciate barriers at all times. 

Engaging in any irrelevant or s*xual relationship with scholars is a breach of trust, and academics who have interaction in such behavior must face severe consequences to deter others from doing the similar. 

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Elina Uphoff

Update: 2024-05-28