A former Tucson High School counselor pleaded guilty on Thursday to having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old female student.
As reported by KVOA, 29-year-old Zobella Vinik was charged with two felonies, including sexual conduct with a minor and child abuse.
Police Found Sexual, Romantic Messages Exchanged Between Vinik and Student
Vinik was arrested in May following an investigation that was initiated after police received a tip from Vinik's ex-wife, that the counselor was in an inappropriate relationship with a 15-year-old girl.
The student had been living with Vinik, according to the interim complaint filed with Pima County Consolidated Justice Court. During the search of both of the parties' cellphones, detectives found messages between Vinik and the student that supported there was a "sexual/romantic relationship," the complaint says.
According to court documents, the sexual relationship allegedly started in February 2022. Vinik resigned from her position in the wake of the allegations as reported by the Arizona Daily Star.
Vinik to Spend 6 Months to 1 Year in Jail
According to the Pima County Attorney's Office, as part of her guilty plea, Vinik will serve a minimum of six months to a year in the Pima County Jail in addition to a "a minimum of 15 years probation, up to lifetime, on the sex offender caseload."
"Today the defendant pled guilty to sex conduct with a minor(solicitation), a class 4 felony and child abuse a class 6 felony. One term of the plea is if sentenced to probation, the defendant must serve a minimum of 15 years probation, up to lifetime, on the sex offender caseload. Another term in the plea is the defendant must serve a minimum of 6 months, and up to 1 year in the Pima County Jail. While probation is available in the plea agreement, if the judge sentenced her to prison, the minimum amount would be 1 year, and the maximum would be 5.75 years. Our focus is on the child victim and their ability to move on, and the plea agreement kept that focus in mind," the Pima County Attorney's Office said in a statement.
