Married Catholic school teacher, a mother-of-five, Randi Zurenko, jailed 23 months for sexually abusing two female students HUNDREDS of times
Married Catholic school teacher, Randi Lynn Zurenko, begged for leniency after pleading guilty to having sexual relations with two female teen students, for years
Zurenko, 34, a mother-of-five, admitted sexually abusing two female students HUNDREDS of times between 2013 and 2016
The former teacher at Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg, Pa was jailed for just 23 months on Thursday, for the gross abuse
She had been charged with more than 200 child sex offences during her time as a teacher at the School
Police said her two victims were aged 16 and 17 at the time
She pled guilty to multiple charges of institutional sexual assault, unlawful contact with minors, corruption of minors, possessing child pornography and disseminating obscene materials to minors
After serving 23 months in jail, Zurenko is on four years probation, must register as a sex offender for 25 years
Randi Zurenko, was jailed for just 23 months on Thursday after pleading guilty to having sexual relations with two female teenage students while teaching at a Pennsylvania high school
Police said Zurenko sexually abused her two victims, aged 16 and 17, hundreds of Zurenko of Millerstown, Perry County, was charged with 13 counts of institutional sexual assault, 153 counts of sexual abuse of children, 33 counts of unlawful contact with minors, 20 counts of dissemination of obscene material to a minor and 13 counts of corruption of minors.
With her victims testifying against her after detectives recovered a horde of nude photos of the students from Zurenko’s seized phone and other electronic devices, she pled guilty to multiple charges of institutional sexual assault, unlawful contact with minors, corruption of minors, possessing child pornography and disseminating obscene materials to minors.
Former teacher Randi Zurenko sexually abused her two female students, aged 16 and 17, hundreds of times between 2013 and 2016
Zurenko’s lawyer, Lee Cohen, had asked for Judge Richard A. Lewis on Thursday to sentence Zurenko to house arrest for her young children and claimed she was ‘truly in love with her victims,’ Penn Live reports.
‘I am ashamed to be here,’ Zurenko told the judge. ‘I have never coerced anyone. I have never taken advantage of anyone.
‘I’m asking you today for grace and mercy and to take my children into consideration when you determine my sentence.’
However, as he was handing down the sentence on Thursday morning, Dauphin County President Judge Richard A. Lewis told the former high school teacher Randi Zurenko that she must have a “Jekyll and Hyde” personality.
The judge said he considered Zurenko’s own children, but also noted the pain the two victims had endured.
Judge Lewis sent Zurenko to jail for 23 months, to be followed by 4 years of probation and 500 hours of community service after Zurenko, who lives in Millerstown, Perry County, made the plea for leniency for the sake of her children, ages 11 to 3.
Zurenko was employed at Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg, Pa before she was accused of more than 200 child sex offences during her time there
One victim told the court Zurenko had manipulated her psychologically for years. Police said Zurenko once massaged the girl and undid her bra. She also repeatedly gave her alcohol.
The father of one of the two female students Zurenko admitted preying upon was more blunt. He called the 33-year-old Zurenko, a married mother of five who once was hailed as one of Bishop McDevitt’s most inspiring teachers, a “predator.”
The mother of five was jailed for up to 23 months with four years probation and must register as a sex offender for 25 years
‘You stunted my growth because I depended on you,’ the girl said in court.
‘I felt so confused and abandoned and trapped. I trusted nobody… You took everything that was mine.
‘I’m still feeling the impact. I don’t think it’s close to over. You took my innocence. You used my love.’
Following her arrest, Dauphin County’s District Attorney’s Office said Zurenko abused one of the girls from January of 2013 to October of 2016. The girl, who has since graduated from the school, was underage at all times.
Zurenko allegedly went on to abuse the second girl from 2015 to 2016, taking photographs of her half-nude and of them together while they had sex.
She sent her nude ‘selfies’ and also admitted to taking photographs of the student on her phone.
They are alleged to have sex in a number of different locations including Zurenko’s home. Their last encounter was just four days before her arrest.
‘During the course of the interview Zurenko admitted to providing both victim 1 and victim 2 alcohol while they were students at Bishop McDevitt.
‘She also admitted that, while employed as a teacher at Bishop McDevitt High School, she had a sexual relationship with victim 2, a current student at the school.
‘Zurenko also admitted to taking nude photographs of victim 2,’ a statement released by the District Attorney’s Office said.
The school immediately suspended the teacher.
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