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Teacher in Teen Sex Case Arrested Again
AP ^ | 12-05-07 | Mitch Stacy

Posted on 12/06/2007 12:18:24 PM PST by Snickering Hound

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A former teacher serving house arrest for having sex with a 14-year-old student was arrested on charges of violating her probation, state records show.

According to a Department of Corrections report, Debra Lafave discussed her personal life and other subjects with a teenage waitress at a restaurant where both worked. One of the terms of her probation was that she was not allowed to have unsupervised contact with minors without permission.

Lafave, 26, is serving three years of house arrest and seven years of probation after pleading guilty to having sex with the boy in a classroom and her home in June 2004.

She was arrested Tuesday morning and released from jail on her promise to appear in court. It was not immediately clear when that hearing would occur.

Defense attorney John Fitzgibbons said he was disappointed that Lafave's probation officer ordered her arrest for what he called an "insignificant" violation. He said Lafave and the 17-year-old girl had a "typical workplace conversation that women have with their women colleagues."

"It was a workplace friendship — no more, no less," he said.

State attorney's office spokeswoman Pam Bondi said prosecutors would not comment on Lafave's arrest until the hearing.

Probation records show Lafave worked at a Tampa-area restaurant until last month, when her probation officer ordered her to quit. She now works as a receptionist at her mother's barbershop.

Fitzgibbons said he and his client were surprised by the arrest. "I don't think anyone felt this was a huge issue," he said.

He said Lafave has done so well on her first two years of house arrest that he plans to ask a judge to convert the final year to straight probation, which is less restrictive.

Other terms of her probation include sex offender treatment, random drug testing and 200 hours of community service, which she has completed.

Lafave pleaded guilty to two counts of lewd and lascivious battery in November 2005. She could face up to 15 years in prison for a probation violation.


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: arrested; lafave; ocd; teacher; teen
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To: JamesP81

“Monumental waste of taxpayer time and money, all things considered.”

I think she should be in jail from the original prosecution. If it was decided not jail her for that then this is indeed a waste of time.


21 posted on 12/06/2007 12:37:04 PM PST by driftdiver
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To: rednesss

“Nice.”


22 posted on 12/06/2007 12:37:37 PM PST by SJSAMPLE
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To: montag813

“This is just so stupid. Why are they wasting time and resources on persecuting this woman? What teenage boy would not treasure the memory of sex with this hottie for the rest of his life? There was no “crime” here.”

You’re an idiot who evidently cannot overcome his teenage fantasies. She raped the kid. She abused her position as a teacher to do it. She deserves prison time regardless of how pretty she is.


23 posted on 12/06/2007 12:38:20 PM PST by driftdiver
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To: Snickering Hound

This seems like a pretty trivial thing to get nailed for. Why did her probation officer let her work at a restaurant in the first place if this was punishable? Teens always work there. Plus, if I read this right, this conversation happened at least a month ago, but she only gets pulled off the street now.


24 posted on 12/06/2007 12:40:34 PM PST by SpringheelJack
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To: Snickering Hound
-NOT GUILTY-

(gavel)

25 posted on 12/06/2007 12:42:08 PM PST by SIDENET (Hubba Hubba...)
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To: driftdiver; montag813

Just to cool ya'll off a bit.........works better than a water hose.......

26 posted on 12/06/2007 12:42:38 PM PST by Red Badger ( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
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To: Snickering Hound

Did the 17-year-old girl turn her in? What was the conversation about? “Do you have any little brothers?”


27 posted on 12/06/2007 12:42:44 PM PST by Yaelle
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To: driftdiver
“If it was decided not jail her for that then this is indeed a waste of time.”

Putting someone in jail for a probation violation IS putting them in jail for the original crime...

28 posted on 12/06/2007 12:43:25 PM PST by babygene (Never look into the laser with your last good eye...)
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To: South40
I still think she needs to be spanked.

I'm sure she's been the subject of many a spanking.

29 posted on 12/06/2007 12:44:44 PM PST by Hemingway's Ghost (Spirit of '75)
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To: South40
I still think she needs to be spanked.

And given the Spatula Treatment.
30 posted on 12/06/2007 12:44:56 PM PST by reagan_fanatic (Ron Paul put the cuckoo in my Cocoa Puffs)
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To: Snickering Hound
Lafave and the 17-year-old girl had a "typical workplace conversation that women have with their women colleagues."

My wife and I both think this case is ridiculous.

31 posted on 12/06/2007 12:45:12 PM PST by McGruff (A "Big Time" Fred Thompson supporter!)
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To: driftdiver
No its not a strip club. but that may be her next job.

She can't be a teacher, so she's doing waitress work in low dollar establishments, which also hire teens. If teens can't even be in the same establishment with her, what else is there that's legal and has no one under 18 around except stripping?

32 posted on 12/06/2007 12:45:30 PM PST by colorado tanker
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To: ElkGroveDan

Why can I hear the birds in her head chirping?


33 posted on 12/06/2007 12:51:30 PM PST by massgopguy (I owe everything to George Bailey)
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To: babygene

“Putting someone in jail for a probation violation IS putting them in jail for the original crime...”

You’re right technically but you understand what my point is. Don’t you?


34 posted on 12/06/2007 12:54:43 PM PST by driftdiver
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To: reagan_fanatic

35 posted on 12/06/2007 12:56:02 PM PST by rednesss (Fred Thompson - 2008)
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To: SJSAMPLE

Nisssse!


36 posted on 12/06/2007 12:59:13 PM PST by rednesss (Fred Thompson - 2008)
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To: abstracTT

I understand the reasoning behind your opinion on this matter, but please allow me to disagree with you.

Boys and girls are psychologically different. As a 42-year-old man, I agree that when an adult man uses force or fraud to trick an underage girl into having sexual relations with him, it is rape — a nauseating violation of the natural order. Girls associate sex with love, and, when the loveless nature of statutory rape becomes obvious to them, they feel cheap and used. (And, of course, when a grown man seduces a teenage girl, he is using her — which is why any sort of extra-marital sex is a sin. It is a sin to use people solely as a means of obtaining pleasure.)

But as a former 14 year old boy, I think I can say with authority that I myself would not have felt in the least bit violated had a teacher like this one seduced me. On the contrary, it would have made me feel like the biggest stud that ever walked the earth. Boys do not associate sex with love; to them, sex is conquest, and “conquering” a grown woman is the ultimate sign of masculinity.

Of course, statutory rape is rape. No matter which sex is involved, there is always an unequal power arrangement between the older and younger participants.

Statutory rape should remain a crime because it damages society. It damages society because it is fraudulent: a teenager cannot possibly be fully aware of the physical, legal, and moral ramifications of the sexual act, and, therefore any “consent” they might give in such cases is invalid. However, the amount of psychological damage done to the adolescent in a given case of statutory rape varies from seveere (in the case of girls) to nonexistent (in the case of boys). In fact, the real threat from older-woman-teenage-boy acts is not any damage such an act might cause to the teenage boy’s self-esteem, but the amount of unhealthy ego it might inspire in him. A kid who can attract and conquer a grownup woman is not going to grow up with much respect for women.

Again, I understand your thinking on this issue. But the simple fact is that, for most teenage boys, being seduced by a lithe honey blonde would be a dream come true, not a nightmare. I wish it weren’t so, but that’s the way real boys are in the real world.


37 posted on 12/06/2007 1:05:32 PM PST by B-Chan (Catholic. Monarchist. Texan. Any questions?)
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To: reagan_fanatic

Officially known as “The Aunt Jemima Treatment” ;)


38 posted on 12/06/2007 1:05:36 PM PST by SJSAMPLE
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To: Red Badger

Cool off about someone drooling over a rapist and minmizing a crime against a child? If it were a little girl who was raped people would never make those kind of comments.

It makes no difference as to the gender of the victim or how pretty the rapist is.


39 posted on 12/06/2007 1:06:02 PM PST by driftdiver
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To: colorado tanker

“If teens can’t even be in the same establishment with her, what else is there that’s legal and has no one under 18 around except stripping?”

According to the news she’s now working at her moms small business. I’d imagine stripping would be a violation of her probation. I’d also imagine she’d make a lot of money.


40 posted on 12/06/2007 1:07:33 PM PST by driftdiver
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