Ex-Miamisburg teacher sex crimes sentencing: What both sides are arguing

Defense and prosecutors are seeking widely different sentences today for a former Miamisburg teacher convicted of sex crimes involving a 14-year-old student.

The defense for Jessica Langford wants a minimum sentence, while prosecutors are pushing for maximum incarceration.

The 32-year-old Centerville woman was found guilty by a jury on April 13 of three counts of sexual battery and three counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. The trial included testimony from the teen accuser that he and Langford had sex in her Miamisburg Middle School classroom on May 23, 2017.

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Combined, the two sides have filed nearly 300 pages of documents in presenting their sentencing arguments to Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Timothy O’Connell.

Here are are some notable parts of their arguments:

DEFENSE

First-time offender

“Jessica is a first-time offender with no previous criminal history. Her actions are not more serious than other offenders convicted of the same crimes. And there are no factors that would lead to a rebuttal of the presumption of a concurrent sentence.

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“… In addition to facing time in prison, Jessica will be categorized as a Tier III sexual offender. The affects of this label will be felt both professionally and personally, as the Tier III label will permanently affect Jessica’s ability to find a job, connect with new acquaintances, and even how she raises her family.

Family hardships

“The defendant cannot attend parent-teacher conferences. If the minor daughter becomes ill, the defendant cannot go to the school to retrieve her daughter. There is a question whether she can even take her daughter to a pediatrician, where other children will be present in the waiting room.

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“There were no offers made by the state of Ohio: plead guilty as charged to six felony offenses. Resolution of this matter was discussed at the final pretrial conference and all efforts to resolve the matter were dashed by the state.”

PROSECUTION

Breached public trust

“What the defendant did in this case is the absolute violation of (public) trust … The defendant breached the public’s trust and did the unthinkable.

“… The defendant breached the trust children should have of adults. Children should not expect adults to harm them. Children should not have to decide what is right and wrong in the safe care of an adult.

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“From the testimony of (the victim) at trial, he attempted to tell the defendant that what she was doing to him was wrong. The defendant, however, did not stop.”

Lack of remorse

“The state is unaware of any evidence or documentation showing the defendant has remorse for her actions. In fact, the defendant’s sentencing memorandum itself only begs this court for mercy due to the implications and consequences for her husband and young child.

“The defendant does not acknowledge even the likelihood of harm to the minor victim. As a result, this court should find the defendant (has) not shown remorse for any of her actions.

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