Ex-Ohio Teacher Stacy Schuler Convicted, Sentenced 4 Years in Student Sex Case [VIDEO]
Stacy Schuler, an ex-Ohio school teacher, on Thursday was convicted of having sex with five students and sentenced to four years in prison.
Schuler, 33, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, was convicted of sexual battery, after an Ohio judge rejected her insanity defense in which it was also argued that the teenage boys took advantage of her.
The judge sentenced Schuler on 16 counts of sexual battery and three counts of providing alcohol to a minor.
It was reported that Schuler had sex with five Mason High School students, some of whom are football players, at her home in Springboro in 2010. Earlier this week the five former students testified of having sexual encounters with Schuler.
Schuler was a teacher and athletic trainer at the school since 2000. She was placed on paid leave on Jan. 18 after an anonymous tip led to a school investigation.
According to The Huffington Post, the five teens who were about 17 at the time of the incident, testified that Schuler was drinking alcohol at the time of the sexual encounters and was willing to initiate much of the contact.
This is a noble profession that you have, and I've heard a lot of good things about you, but I know that you had the opportunity, as all teachers do, to affect the lives of our children, Warren County Common Pleas Judge Robert Peeler said as reported by The Huffington Post. You crossed a line.
Schuler's lawyers have said that their client suffered medical and psychological issues and was unable to remember the encounters.
Schuler didn't testify during the four-day nonjury trial. However, testimony from a defense psychologist suggested that Schuler's medical and physical problems along with her vegan diet, alcohol use and an antidepressant impaired her ability to deduce right from wrong.
The prosecution's psychologist said the alcohol use doesn't meet the state standard for an insanity defense and that willingly getting drunk is not a legal defense for a crime, according to The Huffington Post.
Watch a video report from The Huffington Post below:
Moreover, two former Mason High students testified that Schuler had devised a plan to enter an insanity plea before she was ever charged.
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