Colorado Educator Gets Deferred Ruling in Sex Case - Update

(Pueblo, Colorado) This week, 44-year-old online charter high school teacher Susan Diane Christie pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted sexual assault on a child.

The guilty plea came as part of an agreement with the prosecution which dismissed her original charge of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust, a Class 4 felony.

According to Christie's agreement, she will receive a deferred sentence, the length and conditions of which will be left to the court.

The probation department will oversee Christie during that time and if she complies with probation's recommendations, she will avoid prison.

So, for the time being, Christie receives no jail.

* * * * *Colorado Educator Accused of Sex with Student
[Previous 10/29/11 post]
(Pueblo, Colorado) Susan Diane Christie, a 43-year-old teacher at GOAL Academy, an online charter high school, has been accused of engaging in sex with a student.

Christie faces a charge of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust.

According to a heavily censored affidavit by Pueblo police Detective Dan Anderson, Christie recently had sexual relations with a male student and used her school-issued cellphone and computer to relay sexual messages.

The allegations were brought to leaders at the online statewide charter high school, who conducted an internal investigation and then reported their findings to police Oct. 12.

The affidavit said the sexual encounter with the student happened recently outside Christie's Pueblo home one night between midnight and 1 a.m. Christie reportedly threatened the student not to tell anyone.

Christie was booked into custody and released on $50,000 bail.