37-year-old teacher's shocking school affair with student ends in prison

FLORIDA: A 37-year-old teacher in Florida has been sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to having sexual relations with a 17-year-old student at Port Charlotte High School. Heather Mashburn-Smith, a former teacher at the school, was also sentenced to 15 years of probation. She pleaded guilty on Tuesday to unlawful sexual activity with a minor. She was arrested on April 29 after authorities alleged that she had sexual relations with the student twice in April.

According to reports citing the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, Mashburn-Smith gave authorities a full, post-Miranda confession following her arrest. The charge, normally a second-degree felony, was enhanced to a first-degree felony because of her position as a teacher. She was also suspended from her position at the school.

The sexual encounters reportedly took place in Mashburn-Smith's classroom. The student had reportedly communicated with the teacher through Snapchat before the encounters.

Mashburn-Smith was sentenced on Thursday to seven years in prison, followed by 15 years of probation. The court also granted her credit for the 118 days she had already spent in custody.
Florida's age of consent is 18.