A former Cincinnati Bengals cheerleader pleaded guilty Monday to having sex with her 17-year-old former student while she was a teacher at a northern Kentucky high school, a move that will allow her to avoid jail time.
Sarah Jones admitted to having a “sexual relationship and sexual intercourse” with the student while she was an English teacher at Dixie Heights High School in Crestview Hills, Kentucky and received a reduced charge from sexual abuse to sexual misconduct.
Defense attorney Eric Deters said Jones will not have a felony hanging over her head. Deter also said Jones has no plans to return to cheerleading now that she can no longer teach. In fact, she is working as a legal secretary in his office. Now that the student/victim is no longer underage, “there’s absolutely nothing prohibiting [him] and Sarah from being together,” said Deters.
Prosecutors reportedly had a hard time with the case because the victim — now 18 — sided with Jones. They both left hand-in-hand form the court room after the verdict.
Sarah Jones’ mother Cheryl also made a deal after she was charged with tampering with evidence. Cheryl told the student via a text message to “get rid of the phone” that he used to exchange sexually explicit messages with Jones. , She plead guilty to tampering with physical evidence, and received two years of conditional discharge plus court costs.