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Former Shepherd coach pleads guilty, gets probation
By ALEX WUKMAN
Former Shepherd High School baseball coach Ryan Ferguson pleaded guilty to the charge of improper relationship between educator and student on Aug. 11.
Ferguson, 33, was indicted in February of this year after sending a text message that alluded to a possible sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student identified in court documents only as “A.S.”
The message was written while Ferguson’s wife was out and advised A.S. that she should have come over and “jumped in the shower” with him.
“There was no proof of a sexual relationship,” said San Jacinto County Criminal District Attorney Bill Burnett.
Burnett also said that since the girl was 17, there was nothing criminal about an older man sending text messages to her. The criminal act came because of the fact that it was a teacher sending the text messages.
In exchange for Ferguson’s pleading guilty to improper relationship between educator and student, which is a second degree felony, the district attorney’s office agreed that Ferguson will receive five years deferred adjudication.
Deferred adjudication is a form of probation that, if successfully completed, expunges the conviction from an offender’s record.
Part of the requirements for successfully completing deferred adjudication are monthly visits with a probation officer and drug and alcohol tests.
If Ferguson fails to complete the terms of his probation, he will be remanded to custody and serve 20 years in prison, which is the maximum sentence for a second degree felony. Ferguson was also ordered to pay a $1,500 fine and permanently surrender his teaching certificate.
He also has been instructed to have no further contact with the young girl. However, since there was no sexual contact, Ferguson is not required to register as a sex offender nor is he required to receive therapy.
Ferguson, 33, was indicted in February of this year after sending a text message that alluded to a possible sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student identified in court documents only as “A.S.”
The message was written while Ferguson’s wife was out and advised A.S. that she should have come over and “jumped in the shower” with him.
“There was no proof of a sexual relationship,” said San Jacinto County Criminal District Attorney Bill Burnett.
Burnett also said that since the girl was 17, there was nothing criminal about an older man sending text messages to her. The criminal act came because of the fact that it was a teacher sending the text messages.
In exchange for Ferguson’s pleading guilty to improper relationship between educator and student, which is a second degree felony, the district attorney’s office agreed that Ferguson will receive five years deferred adjudication.
Deferred adjudication is a form of probation that, if successfully completed, expunges the conviction from an offender’s record.
Part of the requirements for successfully completing deferred adjudication are monthly visits with a probation officer and drug and alcohol tests.
If Ferguson fails to complete the terms of his probation, he will be remanded to custody and serve 20 years in prison, which is the maximum sentence for a second degree felony. Ferguson was also ordered to pay a $1,500 fine and permanently surrender his teaching certificate.
He also has been instructed to have no further contact with the young girl. However, since there was no sexual contact, Ferguson is not required to register as a sex offender nor is he required to receive therapy.
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