Virginia Teacher Gets Jail for Sex with Boy - Updated

(Prince William County, Virginia) Earlier today, former teacher Tina Marie Amato, 28, was sentenced to three months in jail for engaging in sex with a student.

Prince William Circuit Court Judge Lon E. Farris sentenced her to five years in prison, with four years and nine months suspended on each charge, and ordered that the sentences run concurrently, giving her three months to serve.[…]

In addition to the jail time, Farris sentenced Amato to serve two years probation. She was also ordered to have no contact with the victim and will have to register as a sex offender.

Amato still faces charges of taking indecent liberties with a minor in Stafford County. A plea is expected later this month.

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Virginia Teacher Guilty of Sex with Boy - Updated
[Previous 12/15/11 post]
(Dale City, Virginia) Earlier today, 28-year-old Tina Marie Amato pleaded guilty in Prince William Circuit Court to charges stemming from a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old male student.

The boy, who was not identified because of his age, told authorities his relationship with Amato began when he was in the ninth grade, in the 2008-2009 school year, prosecutors said.

The boy said he approached Amato, who was his English teacher, repeatedly and, towards the end of the school year got her to kiss him in an empty classroom, prosecutors said.

The two continued their relationship over the summer by chatting online and occasionally going to the movies together, prosecutors said.

During the boy’s sophomore year, the relationship became sexual, authorities said. The two would have sex at an area movie theater occasionally and at least once had sex in a Woodbridge hotel, according to court documents.

Amato told police that she fell in love with the boy, prosecutors said.

Sentencing is scheduled for April 12.

Note that Amato faces similar charges in Stafford County with proceedings scheduled for February 8. Meanwhile, Amato is free on bond.

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Virginia Teacher Accused of Sex with Boy
[Previous 4/4/11 post]
(Dale City, Virginia) A 27-year-old English teacher at Gar-Field High School, Tina Marie Amato, has been arrested for allegedly engaging in a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old male student.

Amato faces charges of indecent liberties by a custodian, crimes against nature and use of a communications system to facilitate certain offenses.

Police said the boy told school officials of an “inappropriate relationship” between a teacher and himself on Friday.

School officials immediately notified authorities, said Prince William County police spokesman Jonathan Perok.

Police found out the relationship between the teacher and student lasted over a period of a year, he said.

Amato was booked into custody without bond.