A married special education teacher from Missouri has admitted to sending nude images to a 16-year-old student, but avoided jail after more severe charges including statutory rape and sex trafficking of a child were dropped.
Rikki Lynn Laughlin, 26, sent X-rated photos and a video of herself using a sex toy to the teen student over Snapchat, as well as soliciting nude pics of the boy and trying to pressure him into having sex, according to Maries County investigators, KRGC reported.
Laughlin pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child creating substantial risk – 1st degree – 1st offense – no sexual conduct last Thursday, according to the report.
She was a teacher at St. James High School in St. James, MO, around 75 miles southwest of St. Louis, at the time of the crimes between Sept. 8 and Oct. 19, 2023.
On Oct. 23 last year, prosecutors charged Laughlin with felony counts of possession of child pornography, tamper or attempt to tamper with a victim in a felony prosecution, statutory rape – 2nd degree, sexual exploitation of a minor, tampering with physical evidence in a felony prosecution, furnishing pornographic material to a minor, and sexual trafficking of a child – 2nd degree – under 18 years of age.
Laughlin was sentenced to five years of probation last week.
The student reportedly told police that “things progressed fast” after the Snapchat exchange and that he and Laughlin had kissed.
When she allegedly invited him to have sex, he “made excuses” because “he did not feel comfortable,” a probable cause statement by the Maries County Sheriff’s Office states.
Maries County officials first launched an investigation after a Phelps County detective tipped them off about an inappropriate relationship at the school, KSDK reported at the time, citing the statement.
The case was transferred to Grundy County on a change of venue in May last year, KTTN reported.
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