A former substitute teacher at high schools in Passaic County New Jersey has been sentenced to prison time for sexually assaulting minors.

The suspect is a 22-year-old female who worked as a substitute teacher at Passaic County schools, including Manchester Regional High School and Haledon Public School.

According to authorities, the suspect sexted with students and sent sexual photos of herself to the minors. Additionally, the suspect reportedly engaged in sexual relations with underage students.

The victims were between the ages of 14 and 16 and attended school in Haledon, NJ.

The suspect was eventually arrested and charged with several sexual offenses, including second degree sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child. She ultimately avoided trial on the very serious sex crime charges by reaching a plea deal with Passaic County prosecutors. The terms of the plea agreement called for prosecutors to recommend that the suspect be sentenced to five years in prison.

The suspect later made an appearance in Passaic County Superior Court, which is located in Paterson, and argued that mitigating factors in her case should lead to a reduced sentence. The judge agreed with the suspect and decided that she should be sentenced to just three years behind bars.

For more information about this case, access the NJ.com article, “N.J. Teacher Gets 3 Years in Prison for Sex with Students, Report Says.”