A dental assistant has been charged with rape after she allegedly had sex with three California high school football players who she met while working with the team photographer.
Mary Fletcher, who goes by Debbie, was arrested on Tuesday after police received complaints that she had sexual contact with students on the Mount Shasta High School football team.
Authorities say the 42-year-old mother slept with the students in different parts of Siskiyou County over several weeks. Fletcher has also been accused of dissuading a witness as text messages reportedly show she tried to silence a victim.
The woman has been charged with four counts of unlawful sexual intercourse, also known as statutory rape.
Sheriff Jon Lopey told News 10 that text messages and phone calls will serve as evidence to prove Fletcher tried to intimidate one of the teens into keeping quiet.The charges include two counts for two victims, and two for the third victim.
Lopey said the woman had met the boys through a 'chance encounter' and developed a relationship with the boys at a later time, the New York Post reported.
The exact ages of the three students have not yet been disclosed.
According to her Facebook page, Fletcher has at least one daughter.
The dental assistant took down her Facebook account midday Thursday, after the allegations went public.
District Attorney Kirk Andrus told the news station that police could have arrested her at any time had they enough probable cause. However, the police did not arrest her sooner because she was not thought to be an 'immediate danger' to the community.
Andrus also said the case is sensitive due to the age differences between the parties.
"I have spoken with some of the victims... and you know, these cases are always challenging,' he said.
"I mean especially for a young person that are by definition not prepared for this kind of relationship.
"Relationship is probably the wrong word but they're not prepared for this kind of interaction with an adult."
No Mount Shasta High School teachers or employees were involved in the allegations.
Fletcher was jailed and later released on $10,000 bail.
Fletcher was jailed and later released on $10,000 bail.
She is scheduled to appear in court on March 22.
Posts
