Former South Mecklenburg teacher pleads guilty to sex with student, surrenders license
A former South Mecklenburg High School teacher accused of having sexual encounters with a student will spend three years on supervised probation and surrender her teaching license after pleading guilty.
Gabriela Neufeld, 27, on Thursday pleaded guilty to one count of felony crime against nature, and prosecutors dropped several other charges of sexual activity with a student, according to documents filed in Mecklenburg Superior Court.
A six- to 17-month prison sentence was suspended as long as she completes probation, the plea agreement said.
She must have a psychiatric evaluation and participate in any counseling or treatment programs her probation officer recommends.
The biology teacher was arrested last November after the mother of an 18-year-old told police she saw Neufeld having sex with the teen in the family’s vehicle parked outside their home.
The student told police that he and Neufeld had sex “more than five times, but less than 100,” since they started “a dating relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend,” last October. The student said they had sex at Neufeld’s home, in his bedroom, and in his vehicle, according to a police affidavit.
Neufeld was ordered to give a sample of her DNA, court records showed, and ordered not to work with minors.
This story was originally published November 15, 2024 at 1:12 PM.
