An award-winning California teacher broke down in tears in court as she confessed to sexually abusing two of her students, ages 11 and 12.
Jacqueline Ma, who was named “Teacher of the Year” in San Diego County just months before her arrest, was facing a staggering 180 years behind bars for the shocking abuse at Lincoln Acres Elementary School in National City.
That was knocked down Wednesday when she admitted lewd acts with her students as part of a plea deal that could still see her sentenced to 30 years to life.
“Guilty,” Ma told the judge through sobs, video from Fox 5 San Diego shows.
Ma also pleaded guilty to a count of possessing material containing a minor engaged in or simulating sexual conduct for sending the boys X-rated images and begging them to send her photos of them engaged in sex acts.
“This was very significant to us, not just because she won an award, but because of who she was in the community,” Deputy District Attorney Drew Heart told Fox San Diego.
“We think this plea deal sends a message to the community, not just about sex offenses on children, but when you leverage a position of trust, when you leverage good faith with parents in the community and you do this to their children, there will be significant penalties to pay.”
Ma, who taught fifth- and sixth-graders, was arrested on her school’s campus in the spring of 2023 after the mother of the 12-year-old boy contacted police — who found that the trusted teacher had groomed the boy over 10 months, sharing love letters and explicit texts.
She sent him racy photographs of herself and asked him to take and send her videos of himself engaging in sex acts — and grew frustrated when he didn’t respond.
In one message, the child reminded his teacher, “Sometimes I think you don’t understand that I am a kid still,” the San Diego Tribune reported.
In one instance, she took off her shirt after asking the 12-year-old victim for a private meeting in her classroom, according to Fox 5 San Diego.
Prosecutors said Ma also had another relationship with a current student at the time, an 11-year-old boy, and exchanged sexually charged messages with him.
A picture of one of the victims was discovered in her wallet after her arrest.
At the conclusion of a preliminary hearing in 2023, Superior Court Judge Maryann D’Addezio said she thought the evidence was “overwhelmingly clear that the defendant took advantage of two children.”
“From our office’s perspective, it was very important that these be charged as not just sex offenses, but sex offenses done under duress and that’s what she pled to,” Heart said Wednesday.
Ma will be sentenced on May 9.
