A St. Charles High School teacher, who was accused of sexually abusing a student during school hours from January to May 2017, entered a guilty plea in Charles County Circuit Court Tuesday.
In front of Judge H. Jay West, LaToya Niccole Parker, 40, of Waldorf pleaded guilty to misconduct in office and displaying obscene matter to a minor. Parker was sentenced in court Tuesday to 11 years, all of it suspended, and five years probation, according to the Charles County State’s Attorney’s Office.
On Nov. 3, Parker was charged with sex abuse of a minor, sexual solicitation of a minor and displaying obscene material to a minor.
Parker was a family and consumer science teacher at St. Charles High School at the time of the incidents and had been teaching at the school since 2015.
In Charles County Circuit Court Nov. 7, assistant state’s attorney Sarah Freeman gave a description of the incident that the victim told detectives.
Freeman said that the investigation began in May. A student told detectives that Parker would remove him from class, buy food for him from various restaurants, and she had him eat the food in her classroom while she talked to him.
She would also text him on his cell phone, Freeman said.
Freeman told the court that the victim said Parker would write him love notes in a composition book and have him read them. The book was later recovered in Parker’s home by Det. Webster with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office.
Some of the letters included Parker stating she had feelings for the victim.
“I have feelings for you. I want to kiss you. Do you ever think about me?” Freeman read to the court.
The victim also told police that Parker stated that she wanted to have sex with him. According to the victim, while in her classroom, Parker showed him several photos of herself naked, as well as a video of herself and another man engaging in sexual acts, Freeman said.
Parker also gave the victim money.
Once notified of the incident, Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) immediately removed Parker from her teaching duties and directed that she have no contact with students, according to a CCPS press release.
The school system’s general practice is to immediately remove any employee accused of inappropriate behavior from having contact with students during the investigation of charges. CCPS places the employee on administrative leave with pay or assigns them to a temporary position in the administrative offices until resolution of the charges, the release states.
All of Parker’s electronic devices were seized. On Oct. 5, the Maryland State Police submitted a findings report to Webster, according to Freeman. Forty-eight images and one video were found and some were considered sexual. Seven of the images were of her having sex with another male, which “matched the description” of the photos the victim said Parker showed him.
Representing Parker was attorney Hammad S. Matin.
Originally Posted on Maryland Independent:
http://www.somdnews.com/independent/crime_and_courts/former-charles-county-public-school-s-teacher-takes-plea-sentenced/article_c36b546f-78ed-5bb2-b7bc-32d73e0ce885.html