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A school teacher is facing serious charges for having sex with a teenage student. It's another case in what seems to be a disturbing trend.
Prosecutors in Box Elder County charged the 27-year-old teacher based on one incident that allegedly happened in her home. But people who know the teacher tell us she may have been in a relationship with this student for at least a year.
If convicted, Jami Lish could spend 15 years to life in prison. This week, prosecutors charged Lish with first-degree felony rape. Their investigation actually began late last year.
"We're obviously concerned," said Box Elder County Attorney Stephen Hadfield. "She was a teacher in a position of trust, and he was a juvenile."
The victim was 17 years old at the time and a student at Bear River High School, where Lish was a teacher.
Lish is in the middle of a divorce with her husband. His relatives tell us he went to authorities after finding text messages between Lish and the student on her cell phone. They say that's when Lish quit her teaching job.
There was no answer when we knocked on Lish's apartment door in Tremonton this afternoon. Prosecutors say she will receive a summons to appear in court on Sept. 15.
"The reason she was not arrested, from our standpoint, is because we wanted to conduct a very thorough investigation and be sure the evidence supported the allegations, pretty serious allegations," Hadfield said.
Lish's father told us not to believe everything we hear. Even the victim's mother says the allegations aren't true. She says her son, who is now 18, and Lish are just friends.
The school district was not available for comment today.
E-mail: syi@ksl.com
