FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – A former Fresno middle school teacher will spend a year behind bars for sex crimes with a 14-year-old student.
A judge handed down the sentence Thursday in a Fresno courtroom
33-year-old Justine Nelson committed the crimes almost three years ago,
She was a teacher at Tenaya Middle School when she committed sex acts on the boy, who was an eighth-grader at the time.
The crimes allegedly took place on the Tenaya Middle School campus while the teacher and student were alone in her classroom.
Nelson’s attorney argued she was coerced — when he threatened to reveal their relationship — she sent him nude photos.
Investigators got involved when nude pictures of Nelson popped up on social media.
“Students at another school in Fresno that were aware of nude photos of the teacher posted on the victim’s social media sites,” said Fresno Police Lieutenant Joe Gomez, speaking to KMJ at the time of her arrest. “Staff also at the school, and students were aware of that. They brought that to the attention of the police at that school. And that’s how (Fresno Police) got involved in the investigation.”
On Thursday morning, Judge Kristi Culver Kapetan sentenced Nelson to one year behind bars and four years formal probation.
She will also have to register as a sex offender for life.
Click to listen to the report by KMJ’s Liz Kern:
