An St. Anthony, Idaho, teacher who admittedly sexually assaulted a teenage boy will spend up to two decades behind bars after taking a plea deal.
In August, Jessica Lawson, 36, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual battery of a child. On Thursday, she was sentenced by Senior District Judge Stephen Dunn to between two and 20 years in prison — where she will have to attend sex offender treatment. Upon release, Lawson will have to register as a sex offender.
The plea agreement wipes out two charges of felony rape of a minor, as well as charges of felony delivery of a controlled substance and misdemeanor dispensing alcohol to a minor.
Lawson Picked up the Victim from His Home Secretly, Drove to Her House Where the Two Engaged in Sexual Acts
The since-condemned woman was arrested in November 2023 after a traffic stop where law enforcement found the victim behind the wheel of his abuser's vehicle because she was too drunk to drive herself.
The compounded crimes were remarked upon by Idaho Deputy Attorney General Madison Allen during the sentencing hearing this week, according to a courtroom report by East Idaho News.
"Jessica Lawson, who was 36 years old at the time, had an unlawful sexual relationship with a 16-year-old minor male victim when she picked him up from his home secretly without his parents' permission," Allen said. "She took him to her house where the two began to drink alcohol and then they engaged in sex acts together."
Lawson and the Teen were Pulled Over by Police for Busted Taillights
On Nov. 6, 2023, Lawson's vehicle was pulled over because the taillights were out. The basic traffic stop soon took on much greater importance when police found the teenager driving and the intoxicated teacher in the passenger seat.
The teenage boy would go on to tell authorities that Lawson had given him marijuana that night while she drank alcohol. He said the woman picked him up from his parent's house around 11 p.m., and then they returned to her home, where she drank, he smoked, and they had sex.
That same night, Lawson called the minor's parents to tell them she had taken him to her house and given him alcohol, but she did not admit to giving him marijuana or having sex with him, East Idaho News previously reported.
After being arrested, she initially pleaded not guilty. Lawson is a former teacher at South Fremont High School. In addition to the prison sentence, she was also given a 20-year no contact order with the victim.
