Florida Teacher Gets No Jail in Sex Case - Updated

(Tampa, Florida) Earlier today, former Farnell Middle School teacher Tammy Renee Clinton, 40, pleaded guilty to lewd and lascivious conduct stemming from solicitations of sex from a 14-year-old boy.

As a result, Hillsborough County Circuit Judge Chet Tharpe sentenced Clinton to 10 years of probation.

Hillsborough County Assistant State Attorney Rita Peters said a number of mitigating factors figured into the lesser sentence of probation for Clinton and the waiving of repayment for the costs of her 10-year supervision.

Clinton never had sex with the boy. She has a "mental health history," but her use of medications had not been monitored. Her teaching record was good. She has two children of her own and one is a special-needs child who requires 24-hour care.

Peters said she believed the risk of Clinton offending again is "very low." She also said the victim's family didn't want to put their son through a jury trial.

Clinton was also ordered to receive sex offender treatment and has been prohibited from being around any children other than her own.

* * * * *
Florida Teacher Accused of Lewd Conduct with Boy, 14
[Previous 2/4/10 post]
(Tampa, Florida) A 39-year-old teacher at Farnell Middle School, Tammy Renee Clinton, was arrested today for allegedly making sexual advances toward a 14-year-old boy.

Clinton has been charged with two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation and two counts of lewd and lascivious conduct.

Investigators say that last month, Clinton forced the 14-year-old boy to touch her breasts. She also touched his buttocks, deputies said.

Clinton tried twice to entice the boy to meet her away from school grounds to have sex with him, investigators said. The most recent incident happened today, sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said.

The teen confided to a teacher Tuesday at the end of the school day, said school district spokeswoman Linda Cobbe. The teacher told the school's administration and the sheriff's office was contacted.

The teacher wasn't removed from the class as the sheriff's office investigated the case, Cobbe said. Clinton, a sixth-grade geography teacher, is not the victim's teacher. The teenager is an eighth-grader, Cobbe said.

Clinton was booked into custody at the Orient Road Jail with bond set at $30,000.