TEACHER STEPHANIE RAGUSA SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON FOR SEX WITH STUDENTS

PFMLIT FEMALE SEX OFFENDERS AND OTHERS, General, SENTENCING, SEX OFFENDERS AND OTHERS IN POSITIONS OF TRUST, TEACHERS SCHOOL STAFF

abcnews.com/Ray Sanchez

Stephanie Ragusa, a 31 year old Florida teacher, was convicted of having sex with two of herstudents and was called a sexual predator today by a judge who sentenced her to 10 years inprison.  The judge also imposed five years of sexual offender probation on Ragusa.  Theformer math teacher at Davidsen Middle School in Tampa, pleaded guilty in April to three counts oflewd and lascivious battery involving a 14 year old boy, and two counts of having unlawful sex witha minor involving a 16 year old student.  The assaults occurred in 2008.  The 14 year oldhad been assigned to push Ragusa's wheelchair around school after she broke her foot.  Shetold him he seemed shy and that she could help him overcome that.  The two had sex thatafternoon in her apartment, the first of three sexual encounters which spanned the school year thatended in May 2007.
(Florida)