Debra Lafave arrested for violating her probation

[JonathanBelles]

Debra Lafave, who gained fame in 2004 when she was convicted of sleeping with a 14-year-old middle school student, has been arrested again for violating her probation.

According to a Department of Corrections report, Debra Lafave discussed her personal life with a teenage waitress at a restaurant where they both work. One of the terms of her probation had been that she was not allowed to have contact with any minors without permission.

She was booked and released today at the Orient Road jail.

Lafave attributed her prior mistakes to bipolar disorder, which is associated with intense and irregular mood swings, and with hypersexuality and poor judgment during manic episodes.

John Fitzgibbons, Lafave's attorney, said he will have a 4:30 p.m. news conference to discuss the charges.

Lafave is currently serving three years house arrest and seven years probation after pleading guilty to charges in 2004.

Stay tuned to ABC Action News for more details.


Copyright 2007 The E.W. Scripps Co. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

abcactionnews.com

[Miss Mary]

This woman should not be allowed near a person under the age of 18! She just doesn't seem to know what is appropriate and what isn't (obviously, her first offense).

Don't feel sorry for her.

Someone needs to speak up for kids today. They need good adult role models! Period!

Okay, I'm done (the mom in me came out with this story).

[DaylilyDawn]

I think she needs to serve some time. I agree with you, Miss Mary.

[Terrell]

I would like to know a bit more specifics on this (the probation violation) before I form an opinion.

[DaylilyDawn]

She was talking to a teen age girl where she was working at about her personal problems and her sexual life. Her probation requirement was that she was to stay away from all teenagers, not just boys.

[Terrell]

She was talking to a teen age girl where she was working at about her personal problems and her sexual life. Her probation requirement was that she was to stay away from all teenagers, not just boys.

If that teenager is someone she works with, exactly how is she supposed to comply with the terms of her probation (since she can't just not talk to or be around her co-workers)? People do have to work to earn a living, so I do think that any reasonable probation requirements would take into account the specifics of the circumstances before marking something as a violation.

So far, as much as I think she got off light for what she was convicted of, (if it had been man on girl, there would have been serious jail time, though man on girl is a bit more exploitative than woman on boy) I really don't see something worth an arrest for, based on what I've heard so far. Girl talk at work, that's a little weak in my opinion. Now if this occured outside of her work, I would be more inclined to say that she violated her probation (because people have to go to work to earn a living, and being a convicted felon, her employment opportunities are limited). I need a little more before I would say put her back in jail.

I would also want to know who initiated the conversation, her or the female in question.

[DaylilyDawn]

You can read about it in this news paper, TheLedger.com,this is the link to the page where the article is found:
http://www.theledger.com/article/200712 ... 50575/1374
copy and paste it.

[TexasStooge]

As if she wasn't in enough trouble already...

[gtalum]

She was talking to a teen age girl where she was working at about her personal problems and her sexual life. Her probation requirement was that she was to stay away from all teenagers, not just boys.

The FL Dept of Corrections approved of her job, knowing that teens worked there. You simply can't avoid talking to coworkers altogether. The judge doesn't seem too upset by this (as he released her on her own recognizance), and my guess is nothing will come of it.

[DaylilyDawn]

Sooner or later she will commit another violation of her probation and she will end up serving time. In her trial she pleaded guilty to being a sexual predator but avoided jail time because her lawyer said she was "too pretty to serve prison time". In my opinion no one is too pretty or too handsome to serve prison time, if they are convicted of a crime against children.

[Terrell]

Her period of probation may be over by the time later comes around.

[DaylilyDawn]

I doubt it.

[mf_dolphin]

I bet if I said "Where were teachers like her when I was growing up..." I'd get myself in a world of trouble.

[Regit]

I bet if I said "Where were teachers like her when I was growing up..." I'd get myself in a world of trouble.

I've been resisting that urge. Thanks for doing it for me.

[mf_dolphin]

The Devil made me do it

[Derek Ortt]

this seems like a waste of time to me (and most here know that I am very harsh on criminals)

She talked with a 17 year old? What is the age of consent in Florida anyways? I know in the 1990's it was 16 (I hope they raised it to 18), but still... talking? to a coworker?

Go out and get the real child predators

[Ptarmigan]

Debra Lafave just needs to disappear from the public eye.

[Terrell]

I bet if I said "Where were teachers like her when I was growing up..." I'd get myself in a world of trouble.

Like Regit, I'd also resisted that urge.

[Terrell]

this seems like a waste of time to me (and most here know that I am very harsh on criminals)

She talked with a 17 year old? What is the age of consent in Florida anyways? I know in the 1990's it was 16 (I hope they raised it to 18), but still... talking? to a coworker?

Go out and get the real child predators

Age of consent in FL is 16 if the older partner is under the age of 23, it's 18 if the older partner is 23 years of age or older.

[gtalum]

Debra Lafave just needs to disappear from the public eye.

She did, until her silly probation officer dragged her back into it.