NC Teacher Gets Probation for Sex with Girl - Updated

(Hendersonville, North Carolina) Today, the case against health teacher Julie Miller Culbertson concluded with her being sentenced to three years of probation on one count of felony sex offense with a student.

Per a plea agreement in July, Culbertson pleaded guilty to the felony charge and spent 30 days in the Henderson County jail. Culbertson was released from jail in August, according to Assistant District Attorney Beth Dierauf.

The victim, the daughter of a local police officer, was not present during the sentencing proceedings this morning.

Resident Superior Court Judge Mark Powell allowed the victim’s father to address the court about the incident.

“It’s a shame that in my 24 years in law enforcement I have protected strangers, and I couldn’t even protect my own daughter,” he said while sobbing.

Culbertson was remorseful about the incident and addressed the court and the victim’s family.

As a defense, Culbertson's lawyer Roy Neil said that his client had changed medication at the time of the incident. Sheriff Rick Davis had previously indicated, however, that the sex had apparently been "going on for several weeks prior to the arrest."

Interestingly, the age of the victim hasn't been reported.


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Teacher Arrested for Sex Offense
[Previous 5/7/07 post]
(Hendersonville, North Carolina) A 38-year-old health teacher at East Henderson High School, Julie Miller Culbertson, was arrested Friday for an alleged felony sex offense of a student. According to school officials, Culbertson also resigned her teaching position on Friday.

Henderson County Sheriff Rick Davis said the offense is serious. It's also mysterious since little information has been disclosed.


[Update 05/08/07]

According to this report, the student was female.