A pervy school secretary’s admission to having sex with a student during a taped police interrogation could result in the case being tossed, the lead prosecutor warned.
Alicia Hughes, 31, was allegedly caught with a student, 18, by her husband on Valentine’s Day, police in Union City, Indiana, said previously. Hen then allegedly beat her up, leading to a battery call to police who, while probing the incident, discovered Hughes also had sex with another student, 17 — on at least five occasions.
But the cops’ decision to release video of Hughes crying during her interrogation has sparked concerns that she may not get a fair shake at trial.
“The recent release of the video interview of Ms. Hughes did not come from my office, and my office did not authorize, approve or have anything to do with its release,” Randolph County Prosecutor David Daly told the Muncie Star Press.
“At the time that the video appeared in the media, my office did not have a copy or access to a copy of the interview,” Daly said, adding that he is “committed to obtaining a fair trial in this case” and avoiding “prejudicing” Hughes’ right to a fair trial.
Daly added that he is also “committed to seeking justice for victims.”
During the two-minute questioning, Hughes discusses with a cop allegations that she had sex with an 18-year-old, busting into tears and indicating that she slept with him three times.
When asked about possible sexual encounters with other students, the alleged heartbreaker clams up.
“I’ll need my lawyer here at this point,” Hughes says, before being handcuffed and placed under arrest on five counts of child seduction.
Union City police defended their decision to share the video in a statement Friday.
“Let me be clear, the police department did not seek, nor was it required to seek, approval from the prosecutor’s office before releasing this brief excerpt,” Mark Ater, Union City police’s director of public safety, said in the statement.
“The release was lawful, measured and deliberate. The portion disclosed contained no admission of criminal conduction,” Ater said, adding that Hughes did not admit to having sex with a minor.
“The department exercised restraint and ensured no protected information was disclosed.”
Hughes, who was suspended from her job at Randolph Eastern School Corporation following her arrest last month, was booked at the Randolph County Jail on a $25,000 bond.
Her trial date is set for June 15. If found guilty, she faces up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine on each of the five charges.