Shelby Dawn Lashombe, a former Texas high school teacher, avoided a felony conviction and possible prison time after a judge granted her six years of deferred probation for having sex with two 16-year-old boys, citing crucial testimony from a victim's father and her therapist.
The 25-year-old, who admitted two counts of improper relationship between educator and student, was also fined $1,000, ordered to spend four weekends in jail and required to complete 60 days on a county prisoner work detail.
The charges involved two 16-year-old boys. Under a plea agreement, prosecutors dismissed two counts of sexual assault of a child. McLennan County District Judge Thomas West said Lashombe would have faced a considerably longer period of imprisonment without testimony from the father of one of the teenagers and Lashombe's therapist.
Judge Says Father and Therapist Influenced Sentence
During the sentencing hearing, Judge West said the testimony from the boy's father and counsellor Gabrielle White played a significant role in his decision.
The father of one of the 16-year-old boys testified that his son was not traumatised by the relationship. He said his son was maintaining good grades, playing football, had been accepted into multiple universities and was overall 'thriving'.
The father said he did not view Lashombe as a sexual predator and asked the court to avoid prison time and a permanent felony record for her. The teenager was attending counselling, but his father described him as doing well and said his son did not consider himself a victim or want Lashombe imprisoned.
Therapist Says Lashombe Has Made Significant Progress
White told the court that Lashombe had been diagnosed with adjustment disorders, anxiety and depression. She also said Lashombe experienced symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder after spending eight hours in jail following her arrest.
White testified that Lashombe had attended weekly counselling for about a year and had shown what she described as dramatic personal growth.
The therapist said Lashombe had developed emotional tools that could help her avoid what she described as reckless decisions in the future. She added that Lashombe intended to continue weekly counselling throughout her probation.
Mother Gives Starkly Different Account of Son's Experience
The boy's mother, who is divorced from his father, gave the court a very different account of her son's experience. In a victim impact statement, she said her son was no longer the person he had been before the relationship. She said he had experienced depression and anxiety and had become withdrawn from her and other family members.
The mother told the court that her son had asked to change schools, stopped attending Catholic Mass and did not attend his high school prom. She accused Lashombe of abusing the trust placed in her as an educator and described her actions as calculated and predatory.
Defence Says Neither Boy Was Lashombe's Student
Defence attorney Cody Cleveland stressed during the hearing that neither teenager was enrolled in Lashombe's classes or attended Valley Mills High School. Officials said one boy attended West High School and the other attended Axtell High School.
Cleveland argued that Lashombe did not have authority over either teenager and could not influence their grades or school status. The defence also said the boys had independently contacted her through social media.
Around 50 people attended the hearing in support of Lashombe. When Cleveland asked supporters to raise their hands, all did so apart from the boy's mother and the two people seated with her.
Six-Year Deferred Probation Can Keep Felony Conviction off Record
Improper relationship between educator and student is a second-degree felony in Texas, carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The sexual assault of a child charges that were dismissed under the plea agreement were also second-degree felonies.
Lashombe received deferred probation rather than a final judgment of guilt. Provided she completes the six-year term and follows the conditions imposed by the court, she will avoid a formal felony conviction and will not be required to register as a sex offender.
She resigned from her teaching position after the allegations and surrendered her educator certification. She now works at a furniture retailer in Waco.
