Former teacher pleads guilty to sexual battery of a teenage boy

ST. ANTHONY — A erstwhile precocious schoolhouse coach has pleaded blameworthy aft being accused of having activity pinch a teenage boy.

Jessica Lawson, 36, appeared successful tribunal Friday and pleaded blameworthy to 2 counts of felony intersexual artillery of a insignificant who is 16 aliases 17 years of age.

Lawson was initially charged pinch 2 counts of felony rape of a unfortunate who is 16 aliases 17 years of age, felony transportation of a controlled substance, and misdemeanor dispensing intoxicant to a minor.

RELATED | Former coach charged pinch rape of teenage boy appears successful court

As portion of a plea agreement, Lawson agreed to plead blameworthy to 2 counts of felony intersexual artillery of a insignificant who is 16 aliases 17 years of age, and nan Attorney General’s agency will driblet each different charges, on pinch a abstracted lawsuit wherever Lawson was charged pinch an infraction for permitting an unauthorized insignificant to drive.

Lawson during her preliminary proceeding successful January. | Andrea Olson, EastIdahoNews.com

The Attorney General’s Office has besides agreed to urge a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of 20 years successful situation astatine sentencing.

The plea statement is binding, which intends if nan judge accepts it, nan condemnation cannot beryllium changed. If nan judge chooses not to judge it, Lawson tin alteration her plea.

Lawson is scheduled for sentencing connected Sept. 26 successful beforehand of District Judge Stephen Dunn.

Background

Lawson was a South Fremont High School coach from 2021 until 2023, according to Fremont County Joint School District #215.

According to tribunal documents, connected Nov. 6, a St. Anthony Police Officer initiated a postulation extremity for having nary visible tail lights. The driver was a teenage boy, and nan car was wished to beryllium Lawson’s.

RELATED | Former precocious schoolhouse coach arrested and charged pinch rape of teenage boy

The teen said Lawson had allowed him to thrust her car “due to her being excessively drunk to drive,” according to constabulary reports. Court documents opportunity nan insignificant admitted to having marijuana and was driven location by nan officer.

Later that morning, nan serviceman sewage a telephone telephone from nan teen’s parents, who said nan boy had told them much information.

According to nan parents, nan teen had been picked up by Lawson astir 11 p.m. nan nighttime earlier and taken to her location successful St. Anthony. The boy told his parents Lawson sewage drunk and he sewage precocious earlier nan 2 had sex.

During an question and reply later pinch police, nan boy said Lawson had fixed him marijuana while astatine her location and past nan 2 had sex.

Lawson reportedly later called nan teen’s mother and admitted to picking him up from his house, taking him to her location and providing him pinch alcohol. She admitted to having marijuana successful her location but said she did not springiness it to nan boy.

She reportedly denied that “anything other had occurred.”