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A former teacher from Florida
who was charged for having sex with a 14-year-old boy was arrested on Tuesday
for violating her probation by having a friendly discussion with a co-worker.
Debra Lafave, 26, pleaded guilty to two counts for committing
lewd and lascivious acts with a boy who attended the school where she taught in
November 2005. She was sentenced to three years of house arrest followed by
seven years of probation.
Prosecutors ordered her to not have unsupervised conduct
with anyone under the age of 18.
According to a Department of Correction, Debra Lafave discussed personal
issues with a teenage waitress at the restaurant where they both were working. The
report underlined they had discussed "non-work related issues such as
family problems, friends, high school, personal life, boyfriend issues and
sexual issues. ... (Lafave) received no permission from the court to have any
contact with minors."
She was arrested on Tuesday morning and released from jail without
bail after she promised she would appear in court.
Lafave risks a sentence of 15 years for violating her
probation, but people familiar with the case say that she will not spend any
time behind bars for such a minor offense.
John Fitzgibbons, Lafave’s attorney disapproved her arrest
as he called the violation an “insignificant” event. He does not see any danger
in her discussing with the 17-year old girl as he called the conversation as “typical
workplace conversation that women have with their women colleagues. It was a
workplace friendship – no more, no less,” he said according to the Associated
Press.
Moreover, Fitzgibbons stated that her client’s behavior was
exemplary in the first two years of her house arrest that he intends to ask a
judge to convert the final year to straight probation, which is less
restrictive.
State attorney's office reprezentative Pam Bondi said prosecutors would not comment on Lafave's arrest until the court hearing.
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