ST. CHARLES COUNTY, MO – Victoria Reinke, 30, a former teacher’s aide won’t spend a day in jail after she pleaded guilty to having sex with one of her students. Missouri’s definition of second-degree statutory rape sets the definition as someone over 21 who sleeps with someone less than 17 years old. Although they met when he was 16, the teen claims that he did not have sexual intercourse with Reinke until he was 17.
Reinke was sentenced to five years of probation instead of the two years in jail requested by prosecutors. The victim, a 16-year-old boy, suffers from a learning disability and a low IQ.
Prosecutors claim the sex took place in Reinke’s van after school. They communicated through pone calls and text messages between December of 2011 and March of 2012. Reinke pleaded guilty to one count of sexual contact with a student by a school employee.
The teen’s parents spoke at the sentencing about how the encounter destroyed their relationship with their son, who reportedly still has feelings for Reinke.
“I was the responsible, mature one and should have never let anything happen,” Reinke said. Her defense attorney said a suspended sentence with still leave Reinke with a felony conviction and she will have to register as a sex offender. “I’m sorry for the loss of relationship with your son,” Reinke’s attorney said, “but I don’t think sending this lady to prison is going to fix that.”
Reinke is married with three children.
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