Teacher and cheerleading coach admits to having sex with three male students in plea deal
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A former teacher and cheerleading coach admitted to having sex with three male students as part of a plea deal.
Psychology and geography teacher at Shawnee Mission West High School Michelle L. Preston, 28, from Kansas, pleaded guilty to three felony counts involving students who were 16 or 17 in 2010, when the sexual encounters took place.
Under the terms of a plea agreement, lawyers at Johnson County District Court will recommend a sentence of 32 months in prison.
Michelle Preston pleaded guilty to having sex with three male students
She had been facing up to 30 years in prison for the sexual encounters.
District Judge Thomas Bornholdt scheduled sentencing for June 1.
Preston's attorney Scott Toth said: 'My client has accepted responsibility and looks forward to putting this ordeal behind her. We are hopeful the court will follow the plea negotiations.'
The married teacher was suspended last March after the allegations were brought to the attention of school authorities.
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ShareNaked photos of Preston - who was also a freshman cheerleading coach - were said to have been circulated by the students after the details of the affairs emerged.
Though the sex between the students was consensual and they were not underage, District Attorney Steve Howe said the married teacher violated the trust of her students.
Preston leaving court this week: She pleaded guilty to having sex with three students and will likely serve 32 months in jail
Home: Police searched Preston's home after obtaining a warrant when they were told about the allegations
Dismissed: Preston taught geography and psychology at Shawnee Mission West High School and was the cheerleading coach
'That's why we developed this statute because of the power differential between a teacher and a student,' Mr Howe told KCTV5. 'That is the reason for the statute to cover ages 16 to 18 years old when they are still students and have unlawful sex with a teacher.'
When Preston was placed on administrative leave in March and the criminal inquiry began, she was involved in a serious car accident after she allegedly tried to drive her SUV off a cliff in Miami County.
She suffered serious injuries after her car vaulted off an embankment coming to rest under a bridge. It was only due to the SUV's On-Star system calling emergency dispatchers that she was located.
Once she came out of hospital she was arrested and released on bond.
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