Married ‘Teacher of the Year’ had pupil’s pic in pockets: prosecutors

A California elementary college teacher was described by prosecutors as being “obsessive, possessive, controlling and dangerous” in direction of a former pupil that she is accused of grooming and sexually abusing.

Jacqueline Ma, a sixth-grade teacher at Lincoln Acres Elementary School in National City who was named one of many county’s excessive educators last yr, pleaded not accountable Monday to fifteen felony bills along with child intercourse abuse and child pornography, ABC 10 reported.

Prosecutors said Monday {{that a}} picture of the 13-year-old sufferer was found inside the 34-year-old educator’s pockets, in addition to jewelry that featured the sufferer’s initials, ABC 10 reported.

Love letters apparently exchanged in her classroom in addition to textual content material messages despatched between Ma and the sufferer confirmed that Ma turned aggravated when the sufferer didn’t reply to the exchanges quickly ample, prosecutors said.

Deputy District Attorney Drew Hart described Ma as “obsessive, possessive, controlling and dangerous” in direction of the sufferer, and argued the sufferer could possibly be in danger if she was launched. Ma faces as a lot as 29 years in state jail if convicted of all bills.

The former “Teacher of the Year” began a sexual relationship with the sufferer when he was 12 years outdated, despatched him racy photos of herself and requested him to take and ship her films of himself collaborating in intercourse acts, Hart said.

“This defendant maintained a relationship with this child for months, maybe even more than a year, when she began grooming him, giving him gifts, helping him with school, and praising him,” Hart said.

Ma was first arrested on March 7 after a dad or mum of the sufferer suspected her 13-year-old son was “possibly having an inappropriate relationship with a former teacher,” the National City Police Department said.

She was charged with three counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a toddler beneath 14 and three counts of oral copulation with a toddler beneath 14 and launched on bond.

Ma was arrested as soon as extra the subsequent day and charged with sexual misconduct, witness intimidation and a quantity of counts of child pornography in connection to the an identical case.

She moreover reportedly tried to contact the sufferer after her first arrest, prosecutors said.

While her safety lawyer Mario Vela requested Ma be launched on her private recognizance, Superior Court Judge Carlos Varela ordered she is held with out bail.

In making the alternative for Ma to be held with out bail, Varela cited her “position of trust” in route of the sufferer and that one of many lewd acts counts involved duress

Officials with the National School District said that Ma has been positioned on go away and “will not be returning to the campus.”