Teh One Who Knocks
03-26-2012, 12:44 PM
Written by JESSE BASS - American Staff Writer
http://i.imgur.com/clnH8.jpg
A former Petal High School teacher's guilty plea to having sex with one of her 17-year-old students led to five years of probation on top of five days in jail she already served last year.
Jennifer McCullum, 38, pleaded guilty in Forrest County Circuit Court Tuesday to one count of sexual battery for having sexual intercourse with a minor while in a position of authority.
Petal School District Superintendent John Buchanan said all the incidents occurred off the high school campus.
McCullum was indicted by a Forrest County grand jury on May 14, 2010, and according to her indictment, the intercourse occurred between Nov. 1, 2009, and Jan. 13, 2010.
Buchanan said she was suspended after the district heard of the allegations, at which point a investigation was started.
"Once there was sufficient evidence to corroborate the claim (McCullum's) contract was terminated," he said, adding that such terminations are school policy.
He said the district also succeeded in having her licensure through the Mississippi Department of Education revoked.
Following her guilty plea, Forrest County Circuit Court Judge Robert Helfrich sentenced her to 10 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, with all but time served suspended on the successful completion of five years' probation.
McCullum also was ordered to pay a $2,500 fine and a $100 assessment to the Mississippi Crime Victims Compensation Fund.
McCullum was only arrested following her indictment, and only then, more than a year after she was indicted.
After being indicted in May 2010, she was arrested Nov. 23, 2011.
McCullum was then released from the Forrest County Jail on a $25,000 bond Nov. 28.
http://i.imgur.com/clnH8.jpg
A former Petal High School teacher's guilty plea to having sex with one of her 17-year-old students led to five years of probation on top of five days in jail she already served last year.
Jennifer McCullum, 38, pleaded guilty in Forrest County Circuit Court Tuesday to one count of sexual battery for having sexual intercourse with a minor while in a position of authority.
Petal School District Superintendent John Buchanan said all the incidents occurred off the high school campus.
McCullum was indicted by a Forrest County grand jury on May 14, 2010, and according to her indictment, the intercourse occurred between Nov. 1, 2009, and Jan. 13, 2010.
Buchanan said she was suspended after the district heard of the allegations, at which point a investigation was started.
"Once there was sufficient evidence to corroborate the claim (McCullum's) contract was terminated," he said, adding that such terminations are school policy.
He said the district also succeeded in having her licensure through the Mississippi Department of Education revoked.
Following her guilty plea, Forrest County Circuit Court Judge Robert Helfrich sentenced her to 10 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, with all but time served suspended on the successful completion of five years' probation.
McCullum also was ordered to pay a $2,500 fine and a $100 assessment to the Mississippi Crime Victims Compensation Fund.
McCullum was only arrested following her indictment, and only then, more than a year after she was indicted.
After being indicted in May 2010, she was arrested Nov. 23, 2011.
McCullum was then released from the Forrest County Jail on a $25,000 bond Nov. 28.