In National City, California, an elementary school teacher was detained and accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a 13-year-old former pupil.
When she was a sixth-grade teacher at Lincoln Acres Elementary, Jacqueline Ma, 34, is accused of sending pornographic pictures and videos to a boy who was 12 years old at the time.
Police say Ma was first detained on March 7 and then released on bond. She was detained again on Thursday and is now being held without bail at the Las Colinas Correctional Center on new criminal accusations.
15 Felony Charges
The teacher could be charged with up to 15 felonies, including possessing child pornography and engaging in indecent actions with a kid.
Deputy District Attorney Drew Hart described the defendant as obsessed, possessive, controlling, and dangerous during a hearing on Monday while providing information about pictures and recordings of the victim.
Prosecutors claim that Ma persuaded the student to disguise their texts while they were corresponding via a texting app.
Ma allegedly asked the victim to submit her unauthorized photos of herself to the student. She allegedly told him over and over again to have intercourse with her while he was at home, according to the prosecution.
The victim occasionally expressed reluctance to participate in certain activities or discomfort with such activities, but the defendant persisted in communicating, according to their claims.
Ma’s lawyer, in the meantime, advocated for her release on her own recognizance by pointing to a spotless criminal record, the support of her husband and family in this situation, as well as years of educational experience. Ma has had a California Teaching Certification, according to public data, since 2013.
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California Teacher dEtained Without Bail
Her lawyer, Mario Vela, argued for her release on bond by pointing to a spotless criminal record. Ma was detained without bail, however, because Judge Carlos Varela believed she posed a flight risk.
The review of Ma’s bail was requested by her defense attorneys, and it is slated on March 16. Ma may spend up to 29 years in state prison if she is found guilty of all 15 counts.
She possesses a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in education from the University of California, San Diego. Since 2013, she had worked as a teacher in the National School District.
Ma stated that she “considers the relationships she maintains with her pupils to be her greatest successes” in a piece about her honor.
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