Sarah Jones, Cincinnati Bengals cheerleader, indicted for allegedly having sex with a minor

[Julian Englis]

Source: WPTV

A Cincinnati Ben-Gals cheerleader is facing criminal charges for allegedly having sex with a minor.

A Kenton County grand jury indicted Sarah Jones Thursday of first degree sexual abuse and unlawful use of electronic means to induce a minor to engage in sexual or other prohibited activities. The sexual abuse charge carries a punishment of up to five years in prison.

Cheryl Jones, Sarah's mother, was indicted for tampering with evidence. Cheryl is the principal at Twenhofel Middle School in Independence.

Sara Farmer, a special prosecutor from Jefferson County was assigned to the case because of a conflict of interest. The conflict of interest was because Commonwealth Attorney Rob Sanders was sued multiple times by Eric Deters, the lawyer who previously represented Jones.

Read more: http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/national/sarah-jones-cincinnati-bengals-cheerleader--indicted-for-allegedly-having-sex-with-a-minor

[jberryhill]

1. The copy for that story is awful

There are two people named Jones, and there is stuff there about "Jones" which is completely unclear which one is meant.

[TrollBuster9090]

4. Lucky thing the article wasn't published in Mother Jones. nt

[TheWraith]

2. ...

[jberryhill]

7. Too soon to break out the popcorn

I think we have our first contestant for a thread with real potential, right below your post.

[TrollBuster9090]

3. *Facepalm* America is screwed

Do we have a justice system or a bizarro justice system.

In the same month we have a guy SHOOTING a teenaged boy for no reason, and getting away with it when he should be going to jail; and a cheerleader HAVING SEX with a teenaged boy and going to jail for it when she should be getting a medal for fulfilling every teenaged boy's fantasy. Says a lot about our 'values.'

[jberryhill]

5. Does the article identify the sex of the minor?

I couldn't figure that out either.

Not that it makes any difference, but did she also work at the school? Because I can't tell if the story is referring to her or her mother at one point in there.

[TheWraith]

10. It doesn't. I looked for that too, but it doesn't.

It also doesn't identify the age of the minor.

[jberryhill]

11. One safe assumption that can be made

Is on the basis of her mother being a high school employee charged with tampering with evidence.

But some of that is unclear from the atrocious writing.

[Electric Monk]

13. This one does. The high school student in question is male.

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120329/NEWS0103/303290049/Ben-Gal-ex-teacher-accused-of-having-sex-with-student?source=nletter-nletter-breakingnews

When the existence of the criminal investigation of Sarah Jones became public in December, her attorney at the time, Eric Deters, went on his radio talk show and the Internet to defend his client.

“Sarah denies it completely and apparently the quote, un quote ‘victim’ denies it and is not cooperating … and his parents are upset Sarah is having to go through this which is not usually the case in these situations,” Deters said in December.

[Julian Englis]

19. That is a better written story than the OP and a photo spread for the gawkers. n/t

[jberryhill]

20. Lawyer Of The Year Award - Right Here

"The lawyer, Charles T. Lester Jr., confirmed he was representing Cheryl Jones, in addition to her daughter, but declined to comment."

THAT is a lawyer.

I am so fed up with lawyers whose clients are mere vehicles to become media personalities.

This guy knows his job.

[jeff47]

12. Minors are minors

Doesn't matter if they're boys or girls. Adults can screw them up by having sex with them.

[Ecumenist]

40. Thank you!! I don't think that adults should be having sex with teenager...PERIOD.

[fujiyama]

16. We live in bizarro world

Yeah, I'm sure this kid is really scarred for life - if this even happened as alleged - for having sex with a cheerleader.

I understand we have statutory rape and age of consent laws, but I think this is a good example of a prosecutor with nothing better to do. What a waste of resources...

[Kurska]

24. Why have a law if you're not going to enforce them?

But it would be different if it was an old bald teacher and young girl right.

Yup that is the thinking we want to base our legal system on. If you're hot the laws don't apply to you.

[fujiyama]

39. I think she should definitely be disciplined

She should obviously be fired (and not be allowed to teach again) and she should be forced to undergo therapy. Being that age and going after minors is definitely creepy and shows that she has some real issues.

I just don't think a five year prison sentence (which is what some of these charges entail) is appropriate since this was, almost definitely consensual. Obviously if it was not consensual, then I can see a ummm....stiffer penalty being more appropriate.

While my earlier post was made in a half joking manner, I definitely agree that it's not a good idea for minors having sex with adults, and teachers having sex with students. I think it's important for the facts to actually come out first. This story was shoddily written that too, so it's not entirely clear what the hell happened here.

[Kurska]

41. "almost definitely consensual." Excuse me, but how the fuck do you know that? Because she is hot?

Could you even imagine what it would be like to be a young man coerced into sex by someone in a position of power and then have yahoos clap their hands about it because she was hot? Or much harder crap like this makes it for boys who are legitimately abused to come forward?

Shit like this is toxic to our culture and pathetic.

One set of laws, all people regardless of if they have nice tits or not.

[PassingFair]

26. It says a lot about yours, too. n/t

[closeupready]

33. There are some on this board, I'm glad they weren't my parents.

nt

[Fearless]

6. This is the point where I say...

[Electric Monk]

8. That poor child. He's gonna be scarred for life. Or, maybe not...

[Snake Alchemist]

9. If it was a guy and he was good looking enough, would it be okay? nt

[E-Z-B]

14. Sorry, but this is a case where double standards apply.

[Selatius]

25. I agree. nt

[LanternWaste]

28. It then begs the question...

It then begs the question, what is the precise and relevant reason that you hold juvenile females to a higher ethical standard than juvenile males...? What specifically leads you to believe that a double-standard does indeed, apply?

[Kurska]

35. Easy answer: Sexism

Women are supposed to be chaste and pure and men are supposed to go out and fuck fuck fuck.

Meanwhile a woman who seduces a vulnerable young man is just doing a fantasy service. Meanwhile a guy who does it is a horrible corruptor of youth.

People can have these fucking stupid opinions, but how the hell are they tolerated on a progressive discussion board?

[Ecumenist]

15. Yes, it is a boy, he will be scarred for life. I know someone that happened to and later

on down the road, he was f*cked up and spent YEARS in therapy. YEARS and still is having problems. It's not the fantasy you think it is. Trust me.

[Xithras]

31. Like everything, it depends on the person and the circumstances.

Believe me, at 15 I was having quite a bit of sex (there's a reason I became a teen parent). If I could have slept with a member of the Gold Rush, not only would I have been a hero to all the guys at my school, but I'd have bragged about it at least through college. There would have been NO scarring.

And, for what it's worth, when I was 17 I slept with a friends 24 year old older sister. While she wasn't a cheerleader, she was still pretty hot. That was 20 years ago, and if there were any scars, I haven't found them yet.

Honestly, most psychologists will tell you that this applies to both sexes. There are 15 and 16 year old girls who can sleep with older men and have no regrets or repercussions from it. There are others who will later lose it over the same acts. We prohibit sex with teens because it's often impossible to tell how they will react later. Some can be eager at the time, but feel nothing but regret and remorse later. Others may be hesitant about trying it, but be totally fine with it afterward. Because there's no way to tell, we make the act illegal to protect ALL teens.

[Ecumenist]

32. I'm a sexual abuse survivor & although I was MUCH younger,(5 &6),when I was molested, I still don't

think it's a good idea for teens to have sexual relationships with adults, sorry I just can't agree with that. You may know people who came through it unscathed but I don't know any who have come through situations like you. They had various emotional issues because the "relationships" are not equal as it applies to the balance of power.

I just don't think it's a good idea.

[Xithras]

38. Three important differences:

1) There's a whole planet of difference between "5 or 6" and "15 or 16".

2) There's also a huge difference between people who are forcibly molested and/or coerced into sex, and people who engage in it willingly.

3) Most psychologists will tell you that the primary difference between the two is the "victims" on perspective on the sex, and whether it was abusive or consensual. This difference is readily visible in drugged rape cases. The acts of having consensual stoned sex with a partner, and nonconsensual stoned sex with a rapist, are functionally identical. The damage doesn't come from the act, but from the mental trauma that accompanies being physically violated against your will. The same mental processes that determine whether a woman will be happy or traumatized by a sexual encounter also determine how teens having sex with older adults will react to that sex later. Trauma is a mental state and when it comes to sex, perspective is everything.

And, for what it's worth, I was also molested as a kid (no need to take my word for it in this post...do some searches of my posts in the DU archives and you'll find several long discussions about it a number of years ago when we were discussing a different molestation issue). That molestation certainly impacted me when I was younger, and required a great deal of counseling to move past when I reached my late teens/early 20's. More importantly, it allowed me to clearly see the difference between that act, and the act of having sex with my friends sister. One was OK, and the other wasn't...and the primary difference is that one was a wanted, consensual act, while the other was forced on me against my will by a babysitters husband.

But, as I said, even though I do believe that some teenagers are perfectly okay having sex with older people, I still support laws criminalizing sex with them. The mere fact that some will NOT be okay with it is sufficient to ban the activity, to protect the mental health of all teenagers. I don't think that all teens are harmed by it, but that statement wasn't meant as an endorsement of teen sex or as a defense of her actions.

There are recreational meth users who can use it for decades without harm either. You won't see me arguing for the legalization of meth though. Holding one position doesn't mean I endorse the other.

[SpartanDem]

23. If that is being scared for life

sign me up. Lucky SOB where were these women when I growing up?

[Snake Alchemist]

27. i say the same thing when it's a good looking older man. Lucky girl. nt

[snooper2]

29. Isn't Photoshop awesome!

You should always go for the mug shot photos for men and women.

That shows you what people naturally look like when they get up in the morning

[jberryhill]

17. Left the Bengals and Joined the Cougars, eh?

[MannyGoldstein]

22. DUzy, if I had any say in the matter

Which I don't.

[mysuzuki2]

18. Gee, all that poor woman had to do was give me a call.

I would have had sex with her just to keep her out of trouble.

[BadGimp]

21. Lucky bastard

That never happened to me...

[WeekendWarrior]

30. Please explain to me

how someone who has absolutely no talent for writing can be hired to write copy? That had to be one of the worst written articles I've ever come across. Clarity is king when it comes to writing. This thing was like sloshing through mud.

[Mz Pip]

34. I read that 3 times

and can't figure out WTF it's about. It almost sounds like the charges stem from anonymous postings on the Internet. I hope there is more to it than just that. If people get indicted for random crap posted about them on the Internet we are going to be having a whole lot of money wasted on bogus charges.

[Kurska]

36. Someone in a position of power used it to have sex with an underage kid.

Lets all cheer and clap our hands like fucking primates because the person was hot.

I'm not naming names, but people in this thread are acting like wild animals.

[Nikia]

37. Whether or not the victim is traumatized, teachers shouldn't be having sex with their students

And it should be a crime. People should go into teaching because they want to help kids not because they want to sleep with them. I think that such cases should be prosecuted to deter potential predators. If an adult thinks that they might have a problem with being attracted to their students and possibly acting on that, they should not go into teaching or look into another field where they aren't around minors. I say this as someone who has a female relative who was prosecuted for having sex with a 15 year old male student during the 80's. I don't know if he ended up traumatized, but his parents were rather neglectful of him and had other problemsl and he looked to her for help. It was wrong for her to take advantage of this situation and sleep with him.