Former Deming teacher indicted on rape

3000+ text messages to their 15-year old son during school hours led family members to accuse 33-year old Robertson County teacher of rape. This from the Ledger Independent:

Crystal Wells surrenders to police

Tuesday morning

MOUNT OLIVET -- After being indicted for rape, information has been released by police indicating a former Deming teacher allegedly provided the cellular phone to facilitate communication and alleged sexual rendezvous between herself and her a 15-year-old student.

Crystal Wells, 33, of Carlisle, surrendered to police Tuesday after the six-count indictment was handed down by a Robertson County grand jury."Her lawyer made arrangements for her to turn herself in at the Scott County Detention Center," said Kentucky State Police Lt. John Bradley. "She arrived and was arrested by KSP Detective Jeremy Murrell at 11:33 a.m. She was processed, then she posted bond and was released."

Wells was indicted, Monday by the Robertson County grand jury on six counts of third degree-rape, under KRS 510.060.

According to KSP, in November, family members of the alleged victim, "found text messages on his phone which indicated the possibility of an in appropriate relationship and subsequently learned of both text and verbal communications which they felt were indicative of a sexual relationship ..."The charges presented to the grand jury by KSP investigators were the result of a Nov. 11 complaint, police said.

Wells resigned from her job as a teacher Nov.13.

Wells is accused of having a sexual relationship with the teen including four incidents in August and two after she was suspended from her job for a week in September, over improper text messaging with the boy. From January through April this year more than 3,000 text messages were sent, school officials said at the time.According to police, the encounters of sexual contact did not take place on school grounds or property, rather, "... liaisons were conducted in Wells' vehicle or in privately owned locations."

Robertson County Circuit Court meets in January, 2008, when Wells is expected to be arraigned on the charges.Under the statute, the charge of third-degree rape is a class D felony. It occurs when a person has sexual intercourse with another person who is incapable of consent because he/she is mentally retarded or mentally handicapped or when the perpetrator is 21 years old or more and engages in sexual intercourse with another person who is less than 16 years old. It carries a possible prison term of 1-5 years and a fine of up to $10,000 on each count.

Superintendent Chuck Brown told the Herald-Leader Tuesday that Wells was suspended in September for five days without pay after sending more than 3,000 text messages to the boy during school hours. Brown said local authorities suspected a sexual relationship between Wells and the student, but "there was no evidence of it at the time."

He declined to comment further, saying Wells was no longer a school employee.