The student reportedly told investigators the pair started communicating via the social media messaging app Snapchat. She then summoned the boy to her classroom and asked him about the messages. She then began flirting with him and the pair had sex in her classroom twice over the course of four or five weeks, Gulf Coast News reported.Mashburn-Smith confessed to the crimes and was charged with Unlawful Activity with Certain Minors, the sheriff’s office said. The charge, which is usually a second-degree felon under Florida law, has been elevated to a first degree felony due to Mashburn Smith’s position as teacher. Charlotte County Public Schools Superintendent Mark Vianello issued a statement saying that they would not tolerate any action that compromised student safety. “This individual has now been placed on administrative leaves as we work closely and pursue full accountability with law enforcement.” Vianello concluded that the focus of the school is to protect students and respond quickly. According to Florida penal codes, a first-degree charge for Unlawful Activities with Certain Minors carries a maximum prison sentence of 30 years. Teachers are supposed to be people students can turn to for guidance, mentorship, and encouragement. In a statement, CCSO Sheriff Bill Prummell stated that the individual preyed on a person she was entrusted with protecting. “We take this very seriously in Charlotte County and I applaud the Major Crimes Detectives for their quick actions to investigate, make an arrest, and intervene,” Prummell concluded. Fox News Digital contacted CCSO for more information but did not receive a reply.
