Ex-teacher accused of paying students for sex, loading them up with booze and drugs finds out her fate



A Missouri woman who was accused of paying students for sex and giving them alcohol and drugs while she was a substitute teacher just learned where she'll be spending the next decade.

Carissa Smith, 31, was arrested last November and indicted on a host of charges including two counts of sexual trafficking of a child under the age of 18, nine counts of statutory rape, two counts of statutory sodomy, three counts of sexual contact with a student, and one count of patronizing prostitution from a victim 14 years and younger.

'Very disturbing and distressing information.'

Investigators indicated the incidents occurred from August 2023 to September 2024.

According to the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office, victims alleged that Smith — who began regularly working as a substitute teacher at Dixon Middle School in August 2022 then worked at Dixon High School from 2023 until her resignation in August 2024 — "would offer money, marijuana and/or alcohol to students in return for sex or to allow her to perform oral sex."

The probable cause statement indicated that Smith paid one victim at least $100 to engage in sexual activities with her. Authorities noted further that Smith urged one minor victim not to discuss their encounters with anyone else.

Court documents reviewed by USA Today indicated that Smith also involved her husband, informing him that one victim had a compromising video and was blackmailing her. The husband allegedly threatened more than one minor with a baseball bat.

The affidavit reviewed by People magazine indicated that after hearing a rumor about a video circulating in the community that allegedly showed the substitute teacher performing a sexual act with one of her students, Smith's brother-in-law caught her in bed with an underage student.

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Photo by Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Staff

Victims claimed that Smith would have sex with them at her house as well as other locations, including on roadsides.

The day after Smith's Nov. 12, 2024, arrest, Dixon R-I School District Superintendent Travis Bohrer revealed to parents that the district had received a report of possible misconduct by Smith earlier in the year from at least one student and had notified the relevant authorities.

Bohrer noted, "This is very disturbing and distressing information for everyone in our school community."

While out on bond, Smith was arrested again in September and charged with tampering with a witness after court documents say she was caught at the home of one of her victims, the sheriff's office confirmed to USA Today.

The former teacher's $250,000 bond was revoked on Sept. 10.

"The defendant was ordered to have no contact with any victim in this case," noted prosecuting attorney Jeffrey Thomas. "The defendant has failed to follow a course of good conduct."

Smith pleaded guilty to lesser charges of two counts of sexual contact with a student and one count of first degree endangering the welfare of a child/sexual conduct on Sept. 17, reported KRCG-TV, and faced as many as 12 years in prison.

Smith instead received a sentence Wednesday of 10 years behind bars, the station said in a separate story.

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Video: Female bully towers over and beats up elderly woman on Florida bus. Victim is left 'battered and bruised': Sheriff.



Law enforcement in Florida is looking for a female seen on video inside a bus beating up an elderly passenger last month.

A 70-year-old woman on Oct. 21 took a seat in the disabled section of a transit bus, the Broward County Sheriff's office said, adding that "her ride would end with her battered and bruised after being attacked by a fellow bus rider."

'This is repulsive. This is something that should never happen; it should not happen in any type of civilized society. What this woman did is absolutely unacceptable.'

Detectives said the attacker, who was standing, bumped into the victim several times due to the movement of the bus, officials said.

The victim asked the attacker to give her some space, officials said, after which a verbal argument ensued.

With that, officials said the attacker "intentionally and forcefully pushed her body into the victim several times. The attacker then grabbed a grocery bag and struck her in the face with it."

At one point during the assault, video appears to show the feisty elderly woman issuing a middle finger to her attacker.

The sheriff's office said the victim used her cane to defend herself, and the attacker punched the victim multiple times in the head.

Officials said several bystanders on the bus came to the victim's defense and separated her from the attacker.

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The bus driver saw the incident and stopped the bus in the 4100 block of West Oakland Park Boulevard in Lauderdale Lakes, officials said, and that's where the attacker and a woman with her fled.

The victim suffered bruising on her forehead but declined to be transported to the hospital, officials said.

"Fortunately the victim did not suffer any major injuries. She was treated on scene," sheriff spokesperson Carey Codd told WFOR-TV.

Codd added, "This is repulsive. This is something that should never happen; it should not happen in any type of civilized society. What this woman did is absolutely unacceptable."

Broward Sheriff's Office Violent Crimes Unit detectives released video of the attack in hopes of identifying the woman who pestered the elderly woman before punching her repeatedly. You can view the sheriff's office video here.

Those with information on the identity of the attacker or the woman with her are asked to contact BSO Violent Crimes Unit Detective Andres Lopez at 954-321-4915 or submit a tip through the SafeWatch app, officials said.

Those wishing to remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward can contact Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS (8477), submit a tip online at browardcrimestoppers.org, or dial **TIPS (8477) from any cell phone in the United States. If your tip leads to an arrest in this case, you are eligible for a reward of up to $5,000, officials said.

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Two Texans allegedly plotted to kill men on island with homeless mercenary force and take women and children as sex slaves



Federal prosecutors revealed a shocking indictment of two men from Texas who are accused of planning to assault the inhabitants of an island near Haiti and enslave the women and children.

Gavin Rivers Weisenburg, 21, of Allen and Tanner Christopher Thomas, 20, of Argyle allegedly plotted a coup d'état on Gonâve Island, which is a part of the Republic of Haiti.

Prosecutors said the two intended the plot to indulge their 'rape fantasies.'

The plan involved recruiting and training homeless people from the Washington, D.C., area to build a mercenary force to attack the island inhabitants, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Eastern District of Texas.

"Weisenburg and Thomas intended to murder all of the men on the island so that they could then turn all of the women and children into their sex slaves," the press release reads.

The pair partially completed many parts of their plan, including learning the Haitian Creole language, recruiting others into the scheme, and making operational and logistical plans. They intended to purchase firearms, ammunition, and a sailboat.

Prosecutors said the two intended the plot to indulge their "rape fantasies."

Weisenburg enrolled at the North Texas Fire Academy in Rockwall in order to gain skills for the endeavor, while Thomas enlisted in the U.S. Air Force for the same reason.

The two are also charged with coercing a minor to commit sex acts on camera in August.

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The pair allegedly plotted the island invasion from Aug. 2024 until July 2025.

There are about 87,000 inhabitants living on Gonâve Island, which measures about 266 square miles.

Weisenburg and Thomas face life in prison if convicted of federal conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country, and they face between 15 and 30 years in prison for charges of production of child pornography.

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Elderly NYC man fatally shoots career criminal who allegedly lunged at him — and gets prison sentence for infuriating reason



An elderly New York City man has been sentenced to prison after he fatally shot a career criminal who allegedly lunged at him in 2023 — and for a reason many will find infuriating.

Charles Foehner, 67, pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of criminal weapons possession in a deal to end his case more than two years after he fatally shot would-be thief Cody Gonzalez, who charged at him near his Kew Gardens home in Queens, the New York Post reported.

'If we respected people's constitutional right and provided practical means for citizens to exercise that right, Mr. Foehner would not be in the position he is in today.'

More specifically, Foehner will spend four years in prison after admitting to carrying an unlicensed revolver, the paper said, adding that Foehner's attorney blasted the city's "draconian" gun laws.

The Post said the Queens District Attorney's Office decided not to prosecute Foehner — a retired doorman — for Gonzalez's killing after he told police that he defended himself from a mugger who lunged at him late at night holding what looked like a knife, except it was a pen.

More from the paper:

But prosecutors slapped Foehner with a slew of weapons raps for the unlicensed handgun and for an arsenal of illicit handguns, revolvers and rifles inside his home in the quiet neighborhood.

Foehner took the plea deal to avoid a trial, where he faced 25 years in prison on gun charges that are not hard to prove, said his attorney Thomas Kenniff after Thursday's hearing in Queens Supreme Court.

Kenniff called Foehner a "hero" who was put in an "impossible position" by what he called "draconian" Big Apple gun laws that make it difficult for "law-abiding citizens" to obtain permits to carry firearms.

"If this was a state and a city that had its affairs in order, Mr. Foehner would be getting a plaque, not a prison sentence," Kenniff told reporters on the courthouse steps, the Post said.

Foehner's attorney added that lawmakers in New York City and the state capital have "repeatedly frustrated the rights of law-abiding Americans, New Yorkers, that possess firearms," the paper reported.

The Post said attorney Kenniff is known for successfully defending Marine veteran Daniel Penny from charges of fatally choking a homeless man who threatened New York City subway passengers in May 2023.

"If we respected people's constitutional right and provided practical means for citizens to exercise that right, Mr. Foehner would not be in the position he is in today," Kenniff also said, according to the paper.

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Following his arrest on the heels of the 2 a.m. fatal shooting in a driveway near his home at 82nd Avenue and Queens Boulevard, Foehner told police he had been carrying the gun in question to protect himself from crime in New York City, the Post noted.

More from the paper:

Security footage showed the alleged robber Gonzalez — who had at least 15 arrests dating back to 2004 and a record of mental illness — continuing to charge at Foehner even after the senior pulled his gun.

Foehner took the deal Thursday with the understanding that he'd be sentenced to four years in prison at his sentencing date Jan. 14, his lawyer said.

Until then, he'll remain "at liberty" and will be able to celebrate Christmas with his wife, Judge Toni Cimino ruled — over objections from the Queens DA's Office, which had pushed for him to spend the holidays at Rikers Island.

"While we very much respect DA Melinda Katz and the fine prosecutors she assigned to this case, we were disappointed that the DA's Office sought to have Charlie remanded before sentencing," Kenniff noted Thursday, according to the Post. "We are grateful that Judge Toni Cimino agreed to let Charlie rejoice with his wife in the light of this Christmas season before he begins his sentence."

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Minneapolis Police Chief Grovels After Flagging ‘East African’ Crime In City

'I apologize and I’m sorry'

Virginia high-school principal allegedly suggests anti-ICE 'hunting' plot; brother brags about 'assault rifle,' cop claims



A pair of Virginia brothers are facing charges related to an alleged plot to attack U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents as retaliation for their enforcement of the law.

Mark Bennett, 59, and his younger brother John Bennett, a 54-year-old assistant principal at Virginia Beach's Kempsville High School, were arrested on Wednesday at Norfolk International Airport and each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit malicious wounding.

'Our ICE law enforcement is now facing an 8,000% increase in death threats against them.'

While having lunch at a pho restaurant in Virginia Beach on Nov. 15, an off-duty Norfolk police officer allegedly overheard the brothers discussing "how ICE agents are kidnapping individuals and that they needed to do something about it," said the criminal complaint obtained by WTKR-TV.

Mark Bennett allegedly indicated during the conversation that he was planning to link up with like-minded people in Las Vegas and return with "enforcement ideas and plans." He also allegedly indicated that he recently purchased a so-called assault rifle because "it utilizes the explosive rounds that are needed to penetrate the vests."

The complaint claims that John Bennett said that he wanted to "go hunting" and signaled interest in flying to Vegas with his older brother.

While detectives confirmed that Mark Bennett was scheduled to make the flight on the day of his arrest, it's unclear whether his brother similarly had a ticket to fly.

RELATED: Ramming attacks on ICE spike, endangering agents as Democrats continue to spew hateful rhetoric

Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images

"These allegations of violence against law enforcement, the very ones who protect and serve our communities, are incredibly alarming," Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate said in a statement. "We are grateful this information was brought to our attention. VBPD was able to work with various law enforcement agencies to assess the credibility of the information, leading to today’s arrests, ensuring the safety of both our law enforcement community and the public at large."

Neither ICE nor Kempsville High School responded to Blaze News' requests for comment by deadline.

Virginia Beach City Public Schools told WTKR that Bennett has been with the district since 2009 and is currently on leave.

During the brothers' bond hearing on Thursday, the Bennetts' attorneys claimed that the conversation overheard at the restaurant amounted to hearsay, that they were just joking around, and that neither brother posed a threat to the community, reported WVEC-TV.

The attorneys suggested further that the purpose of Mark Bennett's trip to Las Vegas was to attend a Formula 1 race with his two sons.

The Bennetts were granted $25,000 bond but are confined to their homes and barred from contacting each other or possessing firearms.

ICE agents have faced an alarming number of threats and attacks in recent months. In some case, such as the sniper shooting in September at a Dallas facility, the attacks have proven deadly.

The Department of Homeland Security revealed this week that since Jan. 20, there have been 71 vehicular attacks against Customs and Border Protection agents and 28 vehicular attacks against ICE, amounting to 58% and 1,300% increases, respectively, of such attacks over the same period last year.

"Our ICE law enforcement is now facing an 8,000% increase in death threats against them while they risk their lives every single day to remove the worst of the worst," DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said late last month.

"From bounties placed on their heads for their murders, threats to their families, stalking, and doxxing online, our officers are experiencing an unprecedented level of violence and threats against them and their families," continued McLaughlin. "Make no mistake, sanctuary politicians are contributing to the surge in violent threats and assaults of our officers through their repeated vilification and demonization tactics, including gross comparisons to the Nazi Gestapo."

The agency noted that concerned citizens can report doxxing and harassment against ICE officers by calling 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or by completing ICE's online tip form.

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Olympic snowboarder turned cartel cocaine kingpin wanted by FBI for ordering execution



A former Olympic snowboarder is on the FBI Most Wanted List for allegedly spearheading a multicultural trafficking organization.

Ryan James Wedding is a 44-year-old former snowboarder from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, who competed at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. He took part in the men's Parallel Giant Slalom for Canada, finishing 24th.

However, that would seemingly be the last time Wedding dealt with literal snow before becoming an accused cocaine trafficker.

'Ryan Wedding controls one of the most prolific and violent drug trafficking organizations in this world.'

According to Sporting News, Wedding's first drug charges came six years after his Olympics appearance, when he was arrested in San Diego for cocaine trafficking and later convicted for conspiracy to possess and distribute.

Now, the FBI has placed Wedding on its top 10 most-wanted list and, working with the Department of Justice and Royal Canadian Mounted Police, has charged him with overseeing the operations of a criminal enterprise, engaging in witness intimidation, and profiting off of laundered drug money.

Wedding is believed to be in Mexico, where he is currently being sheltered by cartel associates.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said, "Ryan Wedding controls one of the most prolific and violent drug trafficking organizations in this world and works closely with the Sinaloa Cartel."

She added, "We will not rest until his name is taken off the FBI's Top 10 Most Wanted List, and his narco-trafficking organization lies dismantled."

Details of Wedding's witness intimidation came from the DOJ, which said he ordered a hit on a witness in a federal narcotics case.

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Wedding allegedly placed a bounty on the head of a witness for a 2024 indictment and enlisted others to locate and kill him. The witness was shot to death in a restaurant in Medellin, Colombia.

Not only is Wedding said to have ordered the assassinations of others as well, but perhaps shockingly, it was allegedly Wedding's lawyer who advised him to put out the hit on the 2024 witness.

Deepak Balwant Paradkar, a 62-year-old barrister residing in Thornhill, Ontario, Canada, allegedly advised Wedding to murder the victim in order to avoid extradition to the United States from Mexico. Paradkar also improperly provided Wedding with court documents and access to members of his enterprise who had been arrested.

Wedding is charged with a multitude of crimes stemming from the 2024 indictment, including continuing criminal enterprise, assorted drug trafficking charges, and directing the murder of two members of a family from Caledon, Ontario, Canada, in November 2023.

Those killings were reportedly in retaliation for a stolen drug shipment in California. A third family member was also shot but survived the injuries.

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Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

"Ryan Wedding and his associates allegedly imported tons of cocaine each year from Colombia through Mexico and onto the streets of U.S. communities," FBI Director Kash Patel said. "His criminal activities and violent actions will not be tolerated, and this is a clear signal that the FBI will use our resources and expertise to find Ryan Wedding and bring him and his associates to justice."

The diverse cast of characters involved in the case included Edwin Basora-Hernandez, a reggaeton musician from the Dominican Republic, who provided the contact information for the aforementioned witness, which helped assassins locate him.

Gursewak Singh Bal, co-founder of the Dirty News website, allegedly took money in exchange for not posting about Wedding, and instead posting a photograph of the aforementioned witness.

A $15 million reward for information leading to Wedding's arrest or prosecution was issued by the U.S. government, with another $2 million in reward money offered for similar information on each of the assassins.

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YouTube prankster challenges cops to a duel — immediately regrets it



Infamous YouTube prankster Jack Doherty faces serious jail time after a run-in with police in Miami Beach last weekend.

The charges — which include possession of a controlled substance, possession of 20 grams or less of marijuana, and resisting an officer without violence — could get the baby-faced boor up to seven years in prison.

'After we duel, sir.'

After going viral with his "flipping" videos as a teen, Doherty has amassed a huge following — and a reputation for obnoxious public behavior — over the last decade.

Doherty was filming content for his over 15 million YouTube subscribers while parked in the middle of the street in Miami when local police asked him to move. That's when the trouble began.

In a video uploaded to TikTok, Doherty is heard responding to the request by telling police, "I challenge y'all to a duel," as he plays a gambling app on his phone. Repeated requests by the police were met with the same response. "After we duel, sir."

Fed-up cops placed Doherty under arrest, before conducting a search that led to a string of charges.

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YouTuber Jack Doherty Arrested While Filming Content On Miami Street

"Chill, chill, chill," Doherty said as an officer placed his hands in cuffs.

In bodycam footage from Miami Beach Police, an officer searched Doherty's pockets and found a pill before placing him in the back seat of a patrol car.

While it isn't clear what the pill was, "Inside Edition" reported that Doherty was later charged with possession of cannabis, a misdemeanor, as well as possession of a controlled substance, a felony. Another misdemeanor, resisting an officer without violence, was also charged.

The Populist Times reported, however, that Doherty was charged with possession of amphetamines and cited another video where police were visibly upset with the young male.

"You think you’re funny?" a uniformed officer asked Doherty. "If you're gonna be funny, get out of the f**king street. I don’t know who the f**k you think you are, bro," the officer added.

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Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images

Doherty was reportedly booked into a Miami-Dade County facility just before 9 a.m., alleging that he was released after about 10 hours.

Doherty said in a subsequent video that he "waited in a cell for five hours" before getting fingerprints and mug shots. "Then I chilled in there for another five-plus hours, maybe more," he explained.

He was later released on $500 bond, according to "Inside Edition," with an arraignment set for January.

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Unhinged female accused of tossing hot coffee on McDonald's manager finally appears before judge



A female accused of tossing a cup of hot coffee on the manager of a Michigan McDonald's earlier this month finally gave herself up and appeared before a judge.

Casharra T. Brown, 48, of Saginaw surrendered to police last Friday on an outstanding warrant authorities had issued for her nine days earlier, MLive.com reported.

'F**k you, b***h! Catch that hot-a** coffee!'

That same Friday, Brown appeared before Saginaw County District Judge M. Randall Jurrens for arraignment on one count of assault and battery, the outlet noted.

The charge is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 93 days in jail and a $500 fine, MLive reported. The outlet previously reported that police submitted paperwork to the Saginaw County Prosecutor's Office requesting a felonious assault charge against the suspect.

Jurrens freed Brown on a $5,000 personal recognizance bond, the outlet said; one bond condition is that she's barred from entering McDonald’s restaurants.

On the morning of Nov. 4 at the McDonald’s at 3700 Dixie Highway in Buena Vista Township, Brown wanted a refund for two sandwiches after placing an online order, Buena Vista Township Police Detective Russ Pahssen told MLive.

The outlet said the McDonald's manager gave Brown a coffee and tried to de-escalate the situation while Brown claimed she had been there for more than an hour. The interaction reached an impasse, MLive said, and the manager told Brown to have a great day as she turned and walked away from the counter.

The female customer removed the lid from the coffee cup, threw the contents at the manager, and yelled, “F**k you, b***h! Catch that hot-a** coffee!” as she exited the restaurant, according to video of the encounter without redacted audio. The manager can be heard screaming after the hot coffee struck her body.

The following video report aired before Brown surrendered to authorities.

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Pahssen shared video of the assault on Facebook to gain the public’s help in identifying the assailant, MLive said, adding that the detective said Brown was identified as the culprit within minutes.

While Pahssen at the time told MLive that the manager suffered minor burns, the outlet said Pahssen later indicated that the McDonald’s manager was wearing enough layers to prevent her skin from being burned.

MLive said it contacted defense attorney Paul M. Purcell about the case, but he declined to comment.

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Ex-teacher who dodged conviction for allegedly asking teen lover to kill husband learns fate for sexually assaulting student



A former teacher in Kentucky — who was accused of asking her underage lover to kill her husband — has learned her fate for sexually assaulting a jailed minor.

In April, 28-year-old Elena Bardin was arrested and initially charged with three counts of sexual abuse, solicitation of murder, and distribution of obscene material, according to a court records citation People magazine obtained. Following her arrest, Bardin was hit with three counts of unlawful transaction with a minor.

'I know you say you'll take care of him, but shouldn't someone else do it so suspicion is miles away from you?'

Kentucky State Police said in an April statement that Bardin "solicited a male juvenile at the Adair Juvenile Detention Center to kill her husband."

But a jury acquitted Bardin of the charge of soliciting the teen to murder her husband.

However, in September, Bardin was convicted of one count each of first-degree sexual abuse, unlawful transaction with a minor, and distribution of obscene material to a minor.

People said the defendant's estranged husband, Michael Bardin, and the alleged victim both testified against Bardin for the prosecution.

Last week, a judge sentenced Bardin to four years in prison for first-degree sexual abuse, 10 years for unlawful transaction with a minor, and 12 months for the distribution of obscene material to a minor; the sentences are to be served concurrently. Bardin also was ordered to register as a sex offender for 20 years, according to Court TV.

During sentencing, Circuit Judge Samuel Spalding noted there were 193 pages of "letters, pictures, and everything else," which he described as "juicy."

"The letters you sent ... they were juicy, they were things you'd see in a triple-X movie, and completely inappropriate, obviously, and I think you know that, for a young man that age," Judge Spalding stated, according to WKRC-TV.

Spalding continued, "And for an educator, it was incumbent upon you to set a better example. I will say, though, the 193 pages of letters, pictures, everything else, it depicts a very intelligent and articulate young woman who was clearly articulating her thoughts and desires to this kid."

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Bardin — a reported mother of a 5-year-old girl — had been an English teacher at the Adair County Juvenile Detention Center, where the victim was detained.

The Kentucky State Police said, "Evidence also revealed that Ms. Bardin had subjected the juvenile to illegal sexual contact and provided him with sexually explicit images of herself."

Citing testimony from Bardin's supervisor at the juvenile detention center, the judge added that the former teacher had been warned to end the relationship and stay away from the teen. Judge Spalding reportedly stressed that the student had been moved to another section of the detention center.

"And, ma'am, not only did you not heed that advice and stop, it looks to me like you actually doubled down on the behavior after that, and that is concerning," Spalding alleged.

Prosecutors accused Bardin of having a sexual relationship with the 17-year-old student who was detained at the juvenile facility.

The Kentucky State Police stated, "On March 27, 2025, the Adair Juvenile Detention Center conducted a routine search of juveniles' living units where letters and explicit material were found in a male juvenile's possession sent by an Adair County School teacher assigned to the facility."

The Union-Bulletin reported, "According to prosecutors, in one of the letters confiscated by investigators, Bardin talks about oral sex and having sex in the boy's cell."

"I hope you enjoyed that. I did," Bardin reportedly wrote in a letter to the minor, according to the Union-Bulletin.

Another letter written by Bardin allegedly said, "I know you say you'll take care of him, but shouldn’t someone else do it so suspicion is miles away from you? IDK, I'm going to miss you so (redacted) bad tonight. You look so handsome today, love. I love you."

In April, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported that the Adair County school district listed Bardin — with her first name spelled "Elana" — as a teacher at the Adair Learning Academy, which is part of the Adair Youth Development Center.

The youth development center operates in conjunction with the regional juvenile detention center, the Herald-Leader said, citing the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice. Adair Superintendent Jason Faulkner told the paper that Bardin was an employee of the district and that she had been terminated.

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