Friday, April 4, 2008 8:22 PM CDT
Former teacher sentenced to 48 years for sex abuse
By the Associated Press
URBANA (AP) — A former elementary school teacher who faces 48 years in prison for sexually abusing eight of his students said Friday he is ashamed of his actions.
Jon Andrew White, 27, apologized to his parents, wife and 23-month-old daughter — all of whom were in the Urbana court room — before he was sentenced by Champaign County Judge Harry Clem.
“I am ashamed of my actions and I am extremely remorseful,” White said.
Champaign County State’s Attorney Julia Rietz said the sentence was appropriate but said she wasn’t impressed by White’s statement.
“I agree he owed all those people that apology, but I’m not convinced as to his sincerity,” Rietz said.
White’s attorney, Carol Dison, said she was disappointed by the length of the sentence.
Parents of victims from Thomas Paine Elementary School who were in court hugged each other after the sentence was announced.
White pleaded guilty in February to eight counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of his students in 2005 and 2006.
He also has pleaded guilty to two counts of the same crime for abusing students at Colene Hoose Elementary School in Normal, near Bloomington, in 2004 and 2005.
He is scheduled to be sentenced in that case late this month.
During almost two days of testimony that preceded the Friday afternoon sentencing, Normal school officials and a clinical therapist testified that White looked at pornography on his school computer in his classroom and admitted he masturbated there, too.
Yet White, who was briefly suspended after the pornography was discovered, was given a letter of reference when he was fired in 2005. He lost his job after the parents of a fifth-grade girl complained he followed her around school and compared her to photos of an actress.
The Urbana district hired White that same year.
He was arrested in January 2007 after parents complained that he played inappropriately with his students.
The therapist, Michael Kleppin, testified that White, because he engaged in a series of crimes against children, is likely to commit more in the future.
if given the opportunity.
White’s pattern of sexual conduct makes him likely to re-offend, Kleppin said. “If there’s not an interruption in the cycle, it will repeat,” he said.
Parents in court Friday asked Clem to sentence White to the maximum possible sentence, 56 years.
One father said he is haunted by what White did.
“I do not go one day (without) thinking about Mr. White and wondering how he could have done this, how we didn’t know and how anyone like him should be allowed to stay on this earth,” he told The (Bloomington) Pantagraph.
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85CHSGrad wrote on Apr 5, 2008 12:11 PM:
as ran in JG-TC: October 4, 2006
Patrick C. White, 40, 812 N. 34th St., Mattoon, received the maximum probation term of four years for the sexual abuse charges to which he pleaded guilty in July.
White was accused of touching and harassing three girls, ages 12, 9 and 8, while they were outside his residence on May 9.
Just another Judicial Joke!!! I believe Ferguson was in charge of the State's Atty's Office at that time! Another great deal!!! FOR THE PERVERT!!! It is time for a change! "