Plea Deal Expected In Former Teacher's Sex Abuse Case
WAUKEGAN, Ill. (STMW) -- A negotiated plea deal is being finalized in the case of a former teacher at West Oak Middle School in Mundelein who is accused of abusing a 14-year-old student four years ago.
Nicole Jacobsen, 42, of Barrington, is charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse in the case, which has seen several delays since her arrest in May 2010.
Following a brief appearance in court Wednesday morning, before Judge Victoria Rossetti, defense attorney Gregory Nikitas said that a plea deal is expected to be submitted to the judge at her next pretrial date July 21.
"We expect to present to the judge a fully negotiated disposition at the next court date," Nikitas said.
Jacobsen has pleaded not guilty to the charges against her and was released following her arrest after paying $5,000 of a $500,000 bond.
She also resigned after being charged.
Jacobsen was an eighth-grade teacher at West Oak when the incident involving a 14-year-old male student allegedly occurred in a school classroom on May 13, 2010, after a volleyball game at the school.
Jacobsen was in her first year with the school, where she was working as a learning disabilities resource teacher, providing help to students kids who needed extra assistance, when the abuse allegedly occurred.
An investigation was opened after the boy's older brother found messages on the 14-year-old's Facebook account between the boy and Jacobsen, including one from the teacher that read "I love you and can't wait to see you," officials said.
Jacobsen allegedly admitted to Lake County Sheriff's investigators that she sent the Facebook messages and confessed to the May 13 incident.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2014. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)