Former Highlands High teacher Andrea Connors was sentenced today by Judge Stine in Campbell County Circuit Court after having pled guilty in June to one count of Sexual Abuse.  Here is the low-down from your favorite legal analyst...ME!!

It was all hush hush today as the family of Andrea Connors huddled around her, waiting for her case to be called.  When Judge Stine called Andrea's case, a shaken and visibly upset Andrea tearily stated her name and date of birth upon request.  Prior to today, Andrea had met with the Campbell County Probation Department and provided them with information in order to prepare her Pre-Sentence Investigative Report.  The Judge reviewed the PSI, letters from family and friends of Andrea, inlcuding a letter from former Cincinnati Police Chief Tom Streicher and letters from the victim's family.  The defense argued for straight probation and no active jail time.  Michelle Snodgrass, Campbell County Commonwealth Attorney, argued for 18 months to serve in the Kentucky Department of Corrections. 

The Judge asked the same question we have all been asking: "WHAT IN THE WORLD WERE YOU THINKING?" The defense attempted to answer that question stating that Andrea had been diagnosed with depression/anxiety and that she expressed a great deal of remorse for her actions.  Not surprisingly, her remorse began as soon as she was caught!! Earlier in the case, I was quite surprised when Andrea, seemingly out of nowhere, pled guilty, straight up to the crime she was indicted for.  At the time, I opined that the Commonwealth must have a "smoking gun" and today that gun was revealed and it was a BIG GUN. 

Andrea didn't just have a lapse in judgment or make a one time mistake as her friends tried to explain to the Judge in their letters pleading for leniency, OH NO!! This wasn't a one time event, this was a relationship with sex all over Campbell County, including her classroom, Andrea's parents house and a state park.  REALLY??? Why would you take your underage lover to your parents house?? Well I guess since Andrea couldn't take him home since her HUSBAND and two children were there, Andrea's parents house seemed like a good alternative.  Perhaps Andrea should have contacted Stacy Schuler's realtor and rented her condo by the hour. 

I make light of this but in reality it really isn't that funny... as Michelle Snodgrass said while making her argument, this is no "Atta Boy" kind of situation. The victim in this case has been hospitalized 4 times for his own medical issues as a result of ANDREA'S ILLEGAL CONDUCT... I wonder if the victim had been hospitalized for physical injuries sustained as result of ANDREA's criminal activity if she would have been sentenced more harshly...