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FARMINGTON — Valynne Bowers struggled to maintain her composure as she apologized for having an affair with a 14-year-old student that will send her to prison for up to 30 years.
"I just wanted to let my victim know how truly sorry I am and how remorseful I am. … I'm sorry for the pain him and his family have suffered," the former Bountiful Junior High School teacher said at her sentencing Monday in 2nd District Court.
Judge John Morris gave Bowers the maximum sentence, two consecutive terms of one to 15 years. She pleaded guilty in February to two counts of forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony.
The judge held up a stack of letters that supporters had written on Bowers' behalf but said it was his responsibility to punish her on behalf of society.
"This is not an easy thing to do," Morris said. "It is not disputed that you accomplished a good deal of good in your 10 years as a teacher."
The thing that stands out the most is the conduct with the victim was repeated over a period of months... You did not choose to say no and address the situation in a different fashion.
–Judge John Morris
"But this really isn't a popularity contest," the judge said. "The thing that stands out the most is the conduct with the victim was repeated over a period of months. … You did not choose to say no and address the situation in a different fashion."
Bowers smiled and waved to her family as officers escorted her from the courtroom.
According to prosecutors, Bowers had an affair with a 14-year-old male student from Jan. 2, 2009, until Feb. 27, 2009. She had worked as a teacher in the Davis County School District since 1996, spending a decade at an elementary school before moving to Bountiful Junior High in 2006 to teach math.
Bowers' case came to light after another teacher, Linda Nef, 47, confessed to having sex with the same boy when he was 13. Nef pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated sexual abuse of a child, a first-degree felony, and was sentenced to three years to life in prison in July 2009.
Prosecutor Rick Westmoreland said Nef learned of Bowers' relationship with the boy and warned her to stop, but Bowers continued to see him.
"She knew what she was doing, and she continued doing it," Westmoreland said.
He said a stiff sentence would send a message that people must be able to send their kids to school without fear.
"Society needs to feel safe and feel like they can trust teachers."
The victim's family did not speak in court, but Westmoreland said they were satisfied with Bowers' guilty plea and were aware that he would recommend the maximum sentence. At Nef's sentencing, an attorney for the family said they were not pushing for her to go to prison.
The judge also weighed a letter written by Bowers' ex-husband on behalf of their two teenage daughters, but Morris said he could not consider them victims.
Bowers' defense attorney, Rich Gallegos, asked the judge to consider probation with a year in jail, noting that even a letter from the victim had said some positive things about his client.
Gallegos said Bowers' feelings of insecurity and a lack of self-confidence, as well as alleged abuse by her ex-husband as the couple went through a nasty breakup, led her into the situation.
He said his client is not a sexual predator. Unlike in many sexual abuse cases, Bowers did not "groom" the victim over a period of time, Gallegos said, and is a low risk to offend again.
"She was mentally and emotionally not in a good place," Gallegos said, adding that after two years of therapy, Bowers now understands the "thinking errors" she made. "She didn't have the appropriate boundaries in this case."
Gallegos said the boy has a "dominant, strong personality" and "intimidated" Bowers, initiating contact by going through her desk, finding her phone number and sending her text messages.
"She's a people-pleaser. She doesn't know how to say no to people. … She was lonely and she was getting attention. Even though it was illegal, it was still attention." However, the attorney said, "She acknowledges it's her fault and not his."
Gallegos said he was "a little shocked" by the severity of the sentence, saying there was nothing in the case to warrant consecutive sentences.
Westmoreland said it was the "right sentence" and questioned whether Bowers had taken full responsibility for her crimes, since her decision to go through a preliminary hearing forced the victim to testify in court.
She has a tremendous amount of remorse for what's taken place. She's lost everything.
–Jack Asay, Bower's father
"This young man has been drug though hell and back," he said.
Bowers had previously taught the boy, but he was not in her class during the sexual relationship.
Outside the courthouse, Bowers' family said they hoped for a more lenient sentence, but were prepared for the one she received. She saw her daughters last week for the first time in two years and may not see them again for a long time, the family said.
"She has a tremendous amount of remorse for what's taken place," said her father, Jack Asay. "She's lost everything."
Email:pkoepp@ksl.com
