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As the end of the year approaches, Patch recaps the biggest stories of 2012—both in terms of pageviews and impact on the Inver Grove Heights community.
The original article posted March 28, 2012. The article detailing her plea posted on Nov. 28, 2012
Other Story of the Year posts:
• No. 7 Story of the Year: No. 7 Story of the Year: ISD 199 Technology Levy Defeated
• No. 8 Story of the Year: Simley Student Writes One Act Play
• • No. 10 Story of the Year: Olsons' is the Greatest Love Story in Inver Grove Heights
ORIGINAL ARTICLE: A 26-year-old student teacher at Simley High School was charged Friday afternoon with two counts of felony stalking and a count of contributing to the deliqunency of a minor after allegedly sending Facebook messages containing sexual content to one of her 17-year-old students.
Jenna Anne Schultz, of Minnetonka, allegedly contacted the boy via Facebook and began sending him messages on May 11.
According to a Dakota County criminal complaint, the messages from Schultz got progressively more graphic and culminated with a photo of her completely naked.
The complaint states: "The photo appeared to have been taken by Schultz using what appeared to be a bathroom mirror, where her leg is lifted up exposing her vaginal area. Her chest and face were also exposed in the photo."
The complaint also states the boy cut off communication with Schultz on or about May 18 after he became annoyed with her messages.
Schultz—who began student teaching on Apr. 4 and was scheduled to finish on June 8—was taken into custody by Inver Grove Heights police on May 24.
In a post-arrest interview, Schultz told police she did not recall sending the boy the photo or texting him. She chalked up the alleged behavior to being "really drunk."
In a press statement, Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom called cases of this nature "very troubling" and said they "can have long-term emotional and psychological impacts on the minor victims involved."
Schultz is scheduled to appear in Dakota County court on July 23. If convicted of the felony charges, she could spend up to five years in prison and be ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.
PLEA ARTICLE: A 26-year-old former Simley High School student teacher accused of sending naked pictures of herself to a 17-year-old student has pleaded guilty to a gross misdemeanor.
According to a press release from the Dakota County Attorney’s office, Jenna Anna Schultz, 26, of Minnetonka, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Schultz was charged May 25 with two counts of felony stalking and a count of contributing to the deliqunency of a minor after allegedly sending the boy a series of explicit messages via Facebook.
Last month, she pleaded not guilty to the charges in Dakota County District Court. A settlement conference was scheduled for Wednesday.
Here is the press release from the attorney’s office:
Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom announced that Jenna Anne Schultz, age 26 of Minnetonka, was charged May 25, 2012, pled guilty today to Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor (a gross misdemeanor) in connection with sending a naked picture of herself to a 17-year-old male student at Simley High School in Inver Grove Heights where she was a student teacher.
Backstrom thanked the Inver Grove Heights Police Department and Independent School District 199 for their quick intervention and investigation into this troublesome situation.
Judge Mary Theisen ordered a pre-sentence investigation and psycho-sexual evaluation and set Schultz’s sentencing for February 12, [2013] at 1:30 p.m. in Hastings. She continues to be released on the bail conditions previously established by the court.
According to the criminal complaint in the case, Facebook messages from Schultz to the student became progressively more graphic and culminated with a photo of her completely naked.
In a post-arrest interview, Schultz told police she did not recall sending the student the photo or texting him. She chalked up the alleged behavior to being "really drunk."
Hennepin County Sheriff's deputies executed a search warrant on Schultz's home and vehicles on June 12.
To read more about this case, click on the following headlines:
• Prior Convictions Called Into Question in Simley Student Teacher Case
• • Former Student Teacher Pleads Not Guilty to Sending Naked Pics to Simley Student
