By JOAN McCOY
Leader staff writer
An eighth-grade science teacher at Cabot Junior High North has been arrested on 11 counts of first-degree sexual assault and two counts of second-degree sexual assault.
Stacy Stracener, 36, turned herself in to Cabot police Monday afternoon following an investigation that started Feb. 8 when school district officials called the police about allegations that Stracener had sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old male student. She is in her ninth year as a teacher in the Cabot School District.
Lonoke County Prosecutor Chuck Graham said Tuesday that the 11 counts of first-degree sexual assault correlate with 11 instances of either sexual intercourse or deviate sexual activity. The two counts of second-degree sexual assault correlate with two instances of sexual contact.
Stracener spent Monday night in the Cabot jail and was taken to circuit court in Lonoke Tuesday morning where bond was set at $25,000. She was released from custody later that morning.
Dr. Tony Thurman, superintendent of Cabot Schools, said Stracener was suspended last week when the investigation started. The district will not release any other information, he said.
First-degree sexual assault is a Class-A felony that carries a sentence of 6 to 30 years for each count and a fine of up to $15,000. Second- degree sexual assault is a Class-B felony that carries a sentence of 5 to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.
Stracener is represented by John Wesley Hall of Little Rock, however Hall was not in court with her Tuesday. Instead, the court Judge appointed public defender Robbie Golden to represent Stracener for the bond hearing.
She has been told to be back in court at 9 a.m. Friday with her attorney.
The plea and arraignment has been set for 9 a.m. March 12.
Technically, Stracener won’t be charged with any crime until Graham files charges. However, he said Tuesday that teachers are held to a higher standard than some other people and referred to this state statute that explains why:
“Ark. Code Ann. §5-14-124. Sexual assault in the first degree (a) A person commits sexual assault in the first degree if the person engages in sexual intercourse or deviate sexual activity with another person who is less than eighteen (18) years of age and is not the actor’s spouse and the actor is:
“(1) Employed with the Department of Correction, the Department of Community Correction, the Department of Health and Human Services, or any city or county jail or a juvenile detention facility, and the victim is in the custody of the Department of Correction, the Department of Community Correction, the Department of Health and Human Services, any city or county jail or juvenile detention facility, or their contractors or agents; (2) A professional under § 12-12-507(b) and is in a position of trust or authority over the victim and uses the position of trust or authority to engage in sexual intercourse or deviate sexual activity; or (3) An employee in the victim’s school or school district, a temporary caretaker, or a person in a position of trust or authority over the victim. (b) It is no defense to a prosecution under this section that the victim consented to the conduct. (c) It is an affirmative defense to a prosecution under subdivision (a)(3) of this section that the actor was not more than three (3) years older than the victim.
