Texas Teacher Who Sexually Assaulted Male Student Sentenced To Prison

A Texas middle school English teacher was sentenced Thursday to six years in prison and 10 years of probation for having a sexual relationship with a then-14-year-old male student.

Katherine Ruth Harper, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of having an improper relationship with a student and one count of sexual assault of a child, according to the Denton County District Attorney's Office.

After Harper serves her prison sentence, she will serve probation and become a registered sex offender.

"Based on conversations with the victim and his family, the D.A.’s office feels that this was a fair outcome," the Denton County District Attorney's Office told International Business Times in an email. "[Harper] not only has to serve time in the penitentiary, but she will also be monitored by a judge for many years. She will also be a registered sex offender, which our office and the family feel is extremely important."

Between June 2016 and July 2016, Harper reportedly had sex with the boy at her home in Fort Worth and at his home in Trophy Club, a wealthy suburb northwest of Dallas. Harper, who is married, was eight months pregnant at the time of her arrest in March 2017.

In addition to teaching seventh-grade English, Harper was a cheerleading and tennis coach at John Tidwell Middle School in Roanoke.

Harper was the boy's former middle school teacher. She was also his tennis instructor but was not his school teacher at the time of their sexual relationship. She reportedly exchanged nude photos with the boy through text messages. The boy's cellphone records indicated that he and Harper had communicated 76 times between June and July of 2016.

Police began investigating the alleged inappropriate relationship after an anonymous tip in September 2016. Harper would later be arrested by the Trophy Club Police Department on March 21, 2017.

The boy revealed details about the relationship to his principal after officials began asking questions.

During an interview with child protective services, the boy said that Harper came to his house and they drank alcohol before removing their clothes.

"One thing led to another," the boy told investigators, according to reports.