An Arkansas teacher who was once caught on national television by adoring students has pleaded guilty to having sex with a high school boy up to 30 times.
Married mom Heather Hare, 33, first made headlines in 2020 when she was surprised on “Good Morning America” by students saying goodbye to her when her home economics class was suspended for online learning. distance during the pandemic.
He now potentially faces life behind bars after pleading guilty Monday to transporting a minor across state lines for illegal sexual activity, prosecutors said.
The once-beloved teacher was arrested last April when a 17-year-old student came forward to report her repeated abuse, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette also reported.
The boy, identified only as “JR,” told police he met Hare on the first day of his senior year at Bryant High School in the fall of 2021, Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ray White said at the court hearing.
“Hare began individual counseling sessions with the minor victim, eventually giving him his personal phone number and primarily communicating with him via Instagram and Snapchat,” the prosecutor’s office said.
“At one point, Ms. Hare told JR that she had dreamed that they were having sex,” White said.
“The minor victim and Hare had sexual relations approximately 20 to 30 times during the 2021-2022 school term, including multiple times at his Conway residence, in his vehicle, in his classroom, and in the parking lots of Bryant High School.” .
Heather Hare pleaded guilty to having sex with a high school boy up to 30 times. heather hare
It included sex during an April 2022 school trip to Washington, D.C., when Hare took JR and three students to a national LifeSmarts competition tied to his Family Consumer Sciences course.
“JR reported that they planned to have sex during the trip and not have to worry about getting caught,” White said. “Hare came to her hotel room and the two had sex.”
The now former teacher collapsed in court when asked if everything the prosecutor detailed was “100% accurate.”
“Yes, sir,” she responded, sobbing softly before confirming that she pleaded “guilty.”
Hare and the student slept together several times at her home, in her car, in her classroom, and in the parking lots of Bryant High School.
She accepted federal transportation of a lesser charge in a plea deal that sought 13 years in prison.
However, the judge declined to rule on whether he had accepted the deal, telling Hare he will only decide at the sentencing hearing, which has not yet been scheduled.
If he rejects the plea deal, Hare has the option of withdrawing his guilty plea and taking the case to trial.
That would leave open the possibility of a life sentence, prosecutors stressed.
“This former teacher took advantage of her position of trust and the vulnerability of a minor, using her role to lure and entice this minor to engage in illegal sexual activity,” said U.S. Attorney Jonathan Ross.
“Our office will continue to seek significant sanctions against any education professional who sexually abuses their students.”
“At one point, Ms. Hare told JR that she had dreamed that they were having sexual relations,” a US prosecutor said. Bryant Police/Instagram
A sentencing date was not set.
During Hare’s appearance on “GMA” in 2020, she said she “immediately started crying” when she saw her students saying goodbye to her.
Bella Watkins, then a sophomore, invited 11 of her friends to share selfie images as they said goodbye to the popular educator, ABC News reported at the time.
“It breaks my heart because a lot of kids look for a break in their day and like to come to my class,” Hare said on the show. “The last unit was sewing. We had so many fun projects. [planned] and we couldn’t do that.”
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Source: vtt.edu.vn