OAN Staff Abril Elfi
5:52 PM – Wednesday, November 13, 2024
A former Los Angeles County middle school special education teacher has pleaded not guilty to allegations of lewd acts and ongoing sexual abuse of an underage male student.
On Tuesday, Colleen Jo Matarico, 43, pleaded not guilty to eight felony counts, including five felony counts of lewd acts upon a child under age 14, two felony counts of lewd act upon a child age 14 or 15, and one felony count of furnishing a controlled substance to a minor.
In this case, she reportedly provided marijuana to the underage student.
According to prosecutors, Matarico committed the sex crimes between last year and this year.
She appeared in a Los Angeles County Superior Court on Tuesday, and Judge Susan J. De Witt ruled that her $590,000 bail amount would be sufficient. Matarico will be required to wear a GPS tracking device if she is granted bail.
November 26th is the date of her upcoming court appearance.
Deputy District Attorney Ariel Anson told the judge that Matarico maintained contact with the victim after initially learning of an investigation last year, and he objected to a possible reduction in bail during the hearing.
Prosecutors, according to Anson, are “fearful” that Matarico will try to break the criminal protective order that prevents her from speaking to or seeing the boy, given her desperation and disturbing actions.
“She first met him at 12 years old,” Anson said. “And the inappropriate relationship started at 13 years old while she was still his teacher. After the investigation, (which) she believed was over, the relationship did not end.”
Anson then went on to highlight certain Instagram messages purportedly exchanged between the 43-year-old suspect and the young victim.
“In the messages between her and that minor, she indicates that she is in love with him, that he is the only one that she would go to jail for… and that he is her crystal meth,” Anson said, explaining that Matarico’s ex-husband and other family members had pleaded for her to stop contact, but she didn’t listen.
Judge De Witt then asked Matarico if she would like to vocally respond to her charges in court, to which she shook her head and declined.
The prosecutor also stated that Matarico’s “conduct got worse” after learning of the investigation, and that she even “went to the new school where the victim attends and has engaged in an inappropriate relationship with him in his car, potentially either waiting for him outside of the school or during school hours.”
The victim even once told a family member of Matarico’s that the disgraced former teacher “can be very jealous and that he is concerned and scared,” according to the prosecutor.
“I don’t know to what extent or exactly what that means,” Anson said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Public Defender Carlos Bido tried to argue that Matarico should be released on her own recognizance with GPS tracking since she has two children of her own, ages 11 and 15. Another argument used was that she has lived in the same home for 17 years, “making her non-flight risk.” Lastly, he added that since her teaching position ended last year, she is still without a job.
De Witt permitted Matarico’s bail to stay at $590,000, which was the same sum when she was initially charged last week.
If convicted of all charges, Matarico faces up to 20 years and four months in state prison.
“It is further alleged that the victim was particularly vulnerable, and that Matarico took advantage of a position of trust and confidence as a teacher to commit the offenses. It also is alleged that Matarico had a lack of remorse while committing the crime,” the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office stated.
Additional victims or anyone with information is encouraged to call Detective Hess at (213) 473-0561. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call LA Regional Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.
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