By Scott Buttram
A former teacher at Spain Park and Hewitt-Trussville high schools has pleaded guilty in Shelby County on charges of having sex with a student at Spain Park, according to media reports.
Stephanie Suggs Millard of Moody was arrested Dec, 27, 2012 by the Hoover Police Department for allegedly “engaging in a sex act with a student under the age of 19 years.”
Former Hewitt-Trussville and Spain Park teacher Stephanie Suggs Millard pleaded guilty in Shelby county to having sex with a student
According to news reports, Millard pleaded guilty before Judge Dan Reeves in Shelby County this morning. Reeves sentenced Millard to 10 years in prison, but then suspended the sentence and placed Millard on five years probation. The report said the sentence was the result of a “best interest” plea agreement with the Shelby County District Attorney’s office. The plea agreement calls for supervised probation and Millard must register as a sex offender.
The activity, which was reported to investigators, occurred during March and April of 2012 when Millard was employed at Spain Park High School.
The Police Department’s Family Services Division received information concerning Millard’s alleged conduct while she was a teacher at Spain Park High School. The investigation revealed that Millard allegedly engaged in sex with a male student who was 17 years old at the time. He has since graduated and is attending college.
According to Trussville City Board of Education meeting minutes, Millard was hired in March 2007 to teach science at the high school. Board minutes reflect that her resignation was accepted in June 2008.
Former colleagues tell The Tribune that they don’t recall any problems during her year in Trussville.
Alabama law makes it a Class B felony for any school employee to engage in sex acts with a student under the age of 19 years.
Millard is charged with two counts of violating Alabama State Law (Title 13A-6-81) “School employee engaging in a sex act with a student under the age of 19 years.”
According to new accounts, Millard pleaded guilty to one charge and the second charge was dropped as part of the plea agreement.
