Texas judge George Glass, handed down a 60-day prison sentence to a former middle school teacher, who confessed to sexually abusing her former student over a 3-year period that started when he was 13.
The Harris County judge also sentenced Marka Bodine, 32, to 10 years probation on top of her two-month prison term. Bodine will also have to register as a sex offender and undergo therapy.
The district attorney’s office had asked that the judge impose a sentence of 20 to 40 years.
Bodine was arrested back in April 2021 for continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 after she complained to her principal that a former student had been harassing her.
Bodine told the principal the former student was making threats to hurt himself. In addition, she allegedly claimed he had somehow accessed private photos of her that he then manipulated.
However, the former student told police Bodine had befriended him via an online video game after her divorce. The two started texting, and soon after, began exchanging explicit images and videos.
Bodine and the student then started meeting up to have sex in 2018, soon after the boy’s 13th birthday.
The boy also told police, the abuse continued for more than two years. He claimed the two had had sex in her classroom and her car several times.
In May, Bodine pleaded guilty to continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14.
Despite being sentenced on Tuesday, Bodine is not in a Texas prison today. Because she recently gave birth, Glass gave Bodine until June 5, 2023, to report to jail. The victim is not the father of Bodine’s child.
Harris County Prosecutor Janna Oswald expressed frustration with the judge’s decision. “There are certain types of cases that, in my opinion, really should only warrant punishment, and that is this kind of case,” said Oswald, chief of the Crimes Against Children Division. “I’m heartbroken for the complainant and his family. I’m really disappointed in the outcome as a child abuse prosecutor, and I’m disappointed as a citizen of Harris County.”
2 months?!? If it was reversed, the male teacher would have received 20 YEARS!!
This judge obviously doesnt have much if any common sense! This is clearly statutory rape! I agree the minimum punishment should of been 20 years!!