A former Missouri teacher dodged a jail sentence regarding accusations of being involved in a teacher sex scandal with a student, according to reports.
As Blaze News reported in October 2023, a 25-year-old teacher was accused of sharing explicit photos and videos with a 16-year-old student. The teacher also reportedly invited the teen to have sex with her at her home while her husband was away.
‘The victim said Laughlin also tried to solicit sex from the victim.’
On Oct. 19, 2023, the Maries County Sheriff’s Office purportedly opened an investigation into Rikki Lynn Laughlin — a then-special education teacher at St. James High School, located about 95 miles southwest of St. Louis. The Maries County Sheriff’s Office allegedly received a tip that a St. James High School teacher was having sexual contact with a student.
According to a probable cause statement, the alleged victim claimed that Laughlin first contacted him on the Snapchat social media app.
The boy informed investigators that he had kissed the teacher in a classroom, according to court docs.
KSDK-TV previously reported, “The victim said the conversations escalated quickly and Laughlin sent him nude photos and videos of herself. He said she also requested he send nude photos of himself, which he did on two occasions. The victim said Laughlin also tried to solicit sex from the victim.”
Court documents said the alleged victim informed authorities that Laughlin invited him to her home when her husband was away on Oct. 14. However, the teen formulated excuses to not appear at Laughlin’s home because he did not feel comfortable, according to the probable cause affidavit.
Court documents stated that Laughlin urged the teen to delete all photos and videos she sent him because she was afraid of going to jail.
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Laughlin was arrested and initially charged with possession of child pornography, tampering with a victim, second-degree statutory rape, sexual exploitation of a minor, tampering with physical evidence, furnishing pornographic material to a minor, and second-degree child sex trafficking.
Laughlin reportedly got a sweetheart deal to avoid a jail sentence.
KRCG-TV reported this week that Laughlin pleaded guilty on July 24 to endangering the welfare of a child creating substantial risk in the first degree, noting that it was her first offense and there was no sexual contact.
Laughlin was sentenced to five years of probation.
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