Megan Crafton, an Indiana high school cheerleading coach, admitted in a plea deal that she performed oral sex on a 17-year-old male student.
The incident, which took place in her car and obviously resulted in her firing at Shelbyville H.S., won’t require Crafton, 22, to register as a sex offender.
Megan pleaded guilty to dissemination of matter or conducting performance harmful to minors – seriously, that’s the legal language for it – a felony.
She was initially charged with felony child seduction, a more serious offense, after the student, a member of the Shelbyville basketball team, came forward.
It’s unclear why the recipient of oral relief ratted her out.
Allen Lindy, Crafton’s attorney, told Fox 59 News:
“The prosecutor’s office was willing to compromise to that level. I can’t speak to their motivations for doing that. I just know they worked well with us.”
Megan Crafton admitted to police that she performed oral sex on the student in the parking lot of Western Supermarket in Shelbyville.
The age of consent in Indiana is 16 years of age, but state employees are prohibited from having sexual relations with anyone under 18 whom they oversee.
Lt. Michael Turner with the Shelbyville Police Department said:
“Even though he wasn’t a cheerleader that she had, he was still in the system as a student, which put her in a position of authority, which made it illegal.”
In October, Lindy had filed an unsuccessful motion to dismiss the case on the grounds that Crafton was not in a position of power over the student.
If Crafton successfully completes 12 months’ probation and community service,, she may apply to have the charge against her reduced to a misdemeanor.
“She’s got her whole life ahead of her, and hopefully, this is just a blip on the radar for her,” her attorney told Fox 59 News after the plea was struck.