Utah Teacher Guilty of Sexual Battery

(Tooele, Utah) Last January, 29-year-old substitute teacher at Tooele High School, Cameo Patch, was arrested and booked on suspicion of illegal sexual activity with a 16 or 17-year-old student, a felony.

In the latest development in the case, Patch has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of sexual battery, a Class A misdemeanor. The charge was reduced in exchange for a guilty plea. Also, Deputy County Attorney Dave Cundick noted that Patch did not rely on her "position of special trust" as a teacher in pursuing her victim.

Patch faces up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine for the misdemeanor. Judge Mark Kouris in 3rd District Court is scheduled to sentence Patch on September 18.

Not surprisingly, Patch and her husband started divorce proceedings shortly after she was arrested in January.

[Update 09/19/06]

Patch gets probation.