Image source: Macon County (Ill.) Jail
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A former substitute teacher in Illinois accepted a plea deal on predatory criminal sexual assault charges, according to authorities.
Police said the ex-teacher sexually abused an 11-year-old male student during "play dates" at her home. However, the teacher allegedly attempted to blame the child for making sexual advances toward her.
'The accused abused her position as a sixth-grade teacher to exploit our client’s trust and engage in reprehensible acts.'
Alley Bardfield, 34, last week pleaded guilty to charges of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child under 13 years of age as part of a partial plea deal, according to WICS-TV.
Predatory criminal sexual assault is a Class X felony that is punishable by up to 60 years in prison, but the state recommended a sentence cap of 40 years, with eligibility for release after serving 85% of the term.
Bardfield is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 25.
Bardfield — formerly of Decatur Public Schools — was arrested on April 3, 2024, following an investigation by the Mt. Zion Police Department and the Macon County Sheriff’s Office. The victim was a student in Bardfield's sixth-grade class, and his mother tipped off law enforcement about the child sex crime allegations. Mt. Zion Police said in an April 2024 statement that "the victim’s mother reported noticing her son acting differently after a visit to" Bardfield's residence, after which the mother "checked her son’s phone and social media."
The mother reportedly found $700 in payments over a few months on the boy's CashApp account. She also discovered a photo of her son and Bardfield flipping off the camera, according to police.
"Mt. Zion Police Department and deputies from the Macon County Sheriff’s Office conducted a joint investigation, which included a thorough review of text messages, social media, and a search warrant executed at the suspect’s residence," the statement read.
Photo by halbergman via iStock / Getty Images
Police said the 11-year-old boy admitted to a sexual relationship with the teacher, including having unprotected sexual intercourse. Bardfield initially was accused of grooming, WICS reported.
Cunningham Lopez LLP, a Chicago-based law firm representing the victim, said in an April 2024 statement:
On April 3, 2024, Alley Bardfield was arrested on charges of grooming and predatory criminal sexual assault of our client. The accused abused her position as a sixth-grade teacher to exploit our client’s trust and engage in reprehensible acts. Ms. Bardfield’s actions have had a profound and lasting impact on our client, which will likely lead to significant physical, emotional, and psychological challenges.The perpetrator’s predatory actions have left our client with permanent injuries that have greatly disrupted his and his family’s daily life. As a result, we will be pursuing justice not only against Ms. Bardfield but also the school district as a whole, which failed to properly train and supervise in order to ensure the safety and well-being of its students. We are determined to hold both the perpetrator and the school fully accountable under the law.
A sworn police statement obtained by WCIA-TV stated that the sexual abuse occurred during "play dates" at her home in Mt. Zion.
Detective Corey James stated that the boy spent 25 hours from March 29 to March 30 at Bardfield’s home. During an interview with detectives, the 11-year-old said he and Bardfield had sex in her bedroom.
WCIA reported in April 2024 that police had the boy communicate with Bardfield through text messages, a phone call, and FaceTime while detectives monitored the communication between the two.
"During this time, Bardfield and the boy discussed birth control and pregnancy via text message," the outlet previously reported. "Bardfield then advised the boy to delete the message and asked to talk to him on the phone."
Bardfield reportedly told the boy during the phone call that she couldn't get pregnant and that she missed the boy "a whole lot."
Detective James stated that Bardfield confessed to having sexual intercourse with the 11-year-old and exchanging nude photos with him on the SnapChat messaging app during an interview with police. However, she allegedly blamed the sexual relationship on the boy, claiming that he made sexual advances toward her.
Shortly after her arrest, Decatur Public Schools fired Bardfield.
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