Teacher Kelsey Peterson Gets Prison (UPDATED & BUMPED)

(Omaha, Nebraska) After pleading guilty to federal charges of crossing state lines to engage in sex with a person under 18, Kelsey Peterson, 26, was sentenced to six years in prison.

Twelve when the sexual relationship with Peterson began, the boy, Fernando Rodriguez, was thrust into the national spotlight after school officials in Lexington, Neb., exposed the inappropriate relationship between the teacher and student.

Peterson hastily packed her 2006 Pontiac, withdrew $2,500 cash from her accounts and headed south with Fernando.

A week later, on Nov. 2, Peterson was pinpointed by a fugitive-chasing police officer using a GPS tracker.

Upon release, Peterson will serve five years supervised probation.


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Teacher Kelsey Peterson Pleads Guilty
[Previous 7/2/08 post]
(Omaha, Nebraska) Teacher Kelsey Peterson, 26, pleaded guilty earlier today to a federal charge of taking a minor across state lines for sex.

The U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI issued a press release. Here is an excerpt.

On July 2, 2008, Kelsey Peterson, age 26 of Lexington, Nebraska, appeared before the Honorable F.A. Gossett, III, United States Magistrate Judge, waived indictment and pleaded guilty to an information charging her with Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct with a Person Under 18 years of Age. The guilty plea arose from Ms. Peterson's relationship with a student at the middle school where she taught.

The plea agreement entered into between the United States and Kelsey Peterson calls for the imposition of a sentence of at least 70 months but not more than 87 months. That is the sentencing range recommended by the United States Sentencing Guidelines for her conduct.

Ms. Peterson agreed, as part of the plea agreement, to sentencing enhancements arising from the fact that: (a) the victim was under her custody, care or supervisory control; (b) she unduly influenced the victim to engage in prohibited sexual conduct since she was more than ten years older than the victim; and (c) the offense involved the actual commission of a sex act.

As part of the plea agreement Kelsey Peterson agreed with the United States that certain facts would be proven beyond a reasonable doubt in the event her case proceeded to trial.

Kelsey Peterson will be sentenced on September 29, 2008. She remains in custody.


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Nebraska Teach Accused of Kidnapping Student
[Previous 11/03/07 entry]
(Lexington, Nebraska) A 25-year-old teacher, Kelsey Peterson, has been accused of kidnapping and engaging in "some sort" of relationship with a 13-year-old male student.

According to the Lexington Police Department, they were contact on Thursday, October 27th, by school authorities.

The school had reason to believe that 25-year-old Kelsey Peterson was having some sort of relationship with 13-year-old Fernando Rodriguez. Peterson was placed on administrative leave on Thursday.

After investigating, authorities were issued a warrant Monday, October 29th, for Peterson's arrest, but could not find her.

Lexington Police said that the boy's family reported him missing on Saturday and that they believe he was with the teacher.

A warrant has been issued for Peterson on charges of kidnapping, child abuse, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.


[Update 11/02/07]

From ABCNews:

A female teacher and a 13-year-old boy believed to be on the run may have crossed the California border into Mexico, a police investigator said Friday.

Paul Schwarz of the Lexington Police Department in Nebraska said the white Pontiac owned by 25-year-old Kelsey Peterson crossed into Mexico around 11 p.m. on Tuesday.

Peterson, a sixth-grade math teacher and basketball coach at Lexington Middle School, fled with the boy after police began investigating whether the pair had an intimate relationship, authorities said.

Authorities believed the two were traveling in Peterson's car, and police nationwide and the FBI were notified about them. Court documents said the boy was last seen Oct. 26.

Maybe Dog, the bounty hunter, should be sent to Mexico to get her. Or maybe not, the last time he was in Mexico the Federales wanted to put him in prison.

Nevertheless, a woman traveling with a boy in Mexico will undoubtedly run out of money sooner or later. Then, she'll give up.

Tip: RG


[Update 11/03/07]

Kelsey Peterson and the boy were apprehended without incident Friday night by Mexican authorities in Mexicali, a border city. The FBI took custody of Peterson and transported her back to the U.S. earlier this morning. The boy was released to relatives in Mexico.