Ohio Teacher Guilty of Sex with Girl, 11 - Updated

(Wilmington, Ohio) Suspended East Clinton Middle School teacher Robin Pickering, 44, pleaded guilty yesterday before Clinton County Common Pleas Judge John W. Rudduck to second-degree felony sexual battery.

The charge was second degree because her victim was 11 years old during the time period of the sex offense, between December 2006 and April 2007.

Pickering was soft-spoken during the hearing Monday, and toward its conclusion wiped her eye with tissue.

In a plea document she signed Monday, Pickering admitted engaging in sexual conduct with the female victim. In particular, she admitted digitally penetrating the victim’s vagina and engaging in oral sex.

Pickering faces between two and eight years in prison when sentenced. Sentencing has been scheduled for July 20, allowing time for a pre-sentence investigation.


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Ohio Teacher Accused of Sexual Battery
[Previous 12/11/08 post]
(Wilmington, Ohio) A sixth-grade language arts teacher with the East Clinton School District, Robin Pickering, was indicted this week for sexual battery of an 11-year-old student.

On Wednesday morning by video from the county jail, Pickering pleaded not guilty in her arraignment hearing. She posted bond Wednesday afternoon and was released from custody. One condition of her bond, as ordered by Clinton County Common Pleas Court Magistrate Helen Rowlands, is to have no contact with the alleged victim or any minor outside of Pickering’s immediate family.

On Monday, a Clinton County grand jury handed up an indictment charging Pickering with sexual battery, a felony of the second degree. The charge is a second-degree felony because of the age of the alleged victim at the time, said Clinton County Sheriff’s Office Chief Detective Brian Edwards.

The allegations point back to two school years ago, for the time period from Christmas Day 2006 through April 8, 2007, according to indictment paperwork filed with the clerk of courts.

According to Detective Edwards, there is no evidence that the alleged behavior took place on school property, however, it's alleged that the sexual conduct occurred more than once. Pickering was placed on unpaid suspension from her teaching position.