Florida Teacher Gets Prison in Sex Case - Updated

(Titusville, Florida) Thirty-four-year-old Janet Lea Hughes recently divorced and reverted back to her maiden name, Janet Lea Florence, and, today, she was sentenced.

Circuit Judge Jack Griesbaum sentenced Janet Lea Florence to five years in prison.

According to the plea deal, Florence will serve 10 years of probation after completion of her prison term during which she must wear a Global Positioning System monitoring bracelet.

Florence will also be classified as a sexual predator for the rest of her life. Living near parks and schools is prohibited and she will have to register her address with the police four times yearly.

After sentencing, Florence was led from the courtroom in handcuffs.

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Florida Teacher Guilty in Sex Case - Updated
[Previous 5/5/09 post]
(Titusville, Florida) Janet Lea Hughes appeared in court today and pleaded guilty to engaging in sex with a 16-year-old boy in accordance with an agreement with the prosecution.

Hughes faces one to six years in prison when sentenced and a lifetime of being labeled as a sexual predator.

The victim and his parents were present in court today, but did not speak.

The plea deal allows Hughes, now 34, to escape a possible sentence of 45 years in prison had she been convicted at trial on one count each of sexual battery and attempted sexual battery on a child.

Upon her release, she will serve 10 years of sex offender probation, during which time she must wear a GPS monitoring bracelet. She will have to register as a sex offender each year.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 9 before Circuit Judge Jack Griesbaum who cautioned Hughes as she remains free until sentencing that any infraction, even a traffic arrest, would negate the plea agreement.


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New Charges for Teacher in Sex Case
[Previous 8/5/07 post]
(Titusville, Florida) Last April, a 32-year-old teacher at Jackson Middle School, Janet Lea Hughes, was arrested after being caught by police with a partially undressed 16-year-old male student in a van at the First Presbyterian Church parking lot in Titusville.

Hughes was booked on one count of unlawful sexual acts with a minor and one count of attempted unlawful sexual acts with a minor.

This week, the Florida state attorney's office filed charges of sexual battery on a child by a familial or custodial authority and attempted sexual battery on a child by a familial or custodial authority. The state charges replace those filed by Titusville Police and are more serious since they take into account Hughes' position as a teacher.

Hughes was fired from her teaching position in May.


[Update 05/18/08]

Janet Hughes goes to trial this week.