Debra Lafave arrested for consorting with a minor

December 5, 2007

Debra Lafave, the former teacher convicted of having sex with a student, was arrested Tuesday for "inappropriate but non-sexual contact" with a teenage coworker.

The association violated the terms of Lafave's probation, which forbade her to have contact with anyone under 18, the sheriff's office said.

She was released on her own recognizance.

Lafave and her mother, Joyce Beasley, had no comment as they left the jail.

"I can only characterize this as somewhat of a bizarre and unusual violation," said Lafave's attorney, John Fitzgibbons.

Lafave, 27, pleaded guilty in November 2005 to having sex with a 14-year-old boy and was sentenced to three years under house arrest and seven years of probation.

Lafave was also required to register as a sex offender and abide by numerous conditions.

She was arrested after corrections officers interviewed a 17-year-old girl, who worked at a restaurant where Lafave had been employed since January 2006, according to the violation report from Florida's Corrections Department.

The teenager told the officers that Lafave discussed "non-work related issues such as family problems, friends, high school, personal life, boyfriend issues and sexual issues in both private one-on-one conversations" with her and in group settings, according to the report.

© AlaskaReport. All Rights Reserved.