Teacher Rebecca Becker Gets Jail

(New Windsor, New York) In June 2007, a 28-year-old teacher, Rebecca L. Becker, and a teacher's aide, Maria E. Zurita, same age, at McQuade Children's Services in New Windsor were charged with sex crimes after an alleged Memorial Day weekend of sexual encounters with two 16-year-old male students.

In September 2007, Rebecca Becker, now 29, pleaded guilty to third-degree rape in Orange County Court. According to Becker's lawyer, John Ingrassia, there was overwhelming evidence, including Becker's own statement to New Windsor police and grand jury testimony from the boy.

Today, Rebecca Becker was sentenced to three months in jail.

Rebecca Becker, 29, provided crucial testimony against former teacher's aide Maria Zurita during Zurita's trial this winter. Becker owned up to her crime from the time New Windsor police arrested her nearly a year ago.

She'll have to register as a sex offender and submit to the supervision of a probation officer for 10 years, because she pleaded guilty to statutory rape. She'll never be able to teach again because she pleaded guilty to a felony.

"You immediately admitted your role, immediately cooperated, immediately showed remorse for what happened. You knew what happened was wrong," said Orange County Court Judge Nicholas DeRosa. "That means something to me."

A probation report concluded that Becker was unlikely to commit another sex crime.

Interestingly, the same judge sentenced Maria Zurita earlier this month to one year in jail for misdemeanor endangering the welfare of a child.

So, in the end one rolls on her accomplice and gets 90 days in jail for a felony while the other gets one year for a misdemeanor. Double heh.