Jaqueline Ma former San Diego teacher of the year pleads not guilty to sex crimes against 12 year old student as DA lists itinerary of allegations, including keeping photo of victim in her wallet and coercing victim to perform sex acts.
A former San Diego elementary teacher of the year accused of having an ‘inappropriate relationship’ with a former 12 year old male student pleaded not guilty in court earlier this week.
Appearing in a California court on March 13, Jacqueline Ma, 34, a former sixth grade teacher at Lincoln Acres Elementary, pleaded not guilty to the charges of grooming and sexually abusing.
At the time of her arrest last week, Ma, was booked on a total of 15 charges, including three counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 and three counts of oral copulation with a child under 14. The former educator was also charged with sexual misconduct, witness intimidation and possession of lewd images of the victim perpetrating indecent acts on himself.
Ma was first arrested on March 7 after the victim’s mother suspected her 13-year-old son was ‘possibly having an inappropriate relationship with a former teacher,’ the National City Police Department said.
Ma who was released on $100,000 bail on March 7 was arrested again on Thursday for additional alleged crimes, including for reaching out to her victim following her Tuesday arrest.
Photo of the victim in her wallet, jewelry with victim’s initials and love letters
Superior Court Judge Carlos Varela in making her decision to deny Ma bail on Monday cited the educator’s placement in a ‘position of trust’ towards the victim, 10News reported.
Ma remained currently held without bail at Las Colinas Detention Facility. A bail review was now scheduled for March 16.
Speaking to Fox5, Deputy District Attorney Drew Hart described Ma as ‘obsessive, possessive, controlling, and dangerous,’ while saying the teacher kept a photo of her now 13 old victim in her wallet.
Hart stated Ma beginning a sexual relationship with the victim upon the boy turning 12, with the illicit relationship going on for months, ‘maybe even more than a year, when she began grooming him, giving him gifts, helping him with school, and praising him’.
Offered the DA: ‘When she was arrested, she had a photograph of the victim in her wallet, she had jewelry with his initials, love letters were discovered in her classroom. In some of the messages, she expressed frustration at the child for not responding to the situation quicker. She expressed jealousy when the victim was talking to other girls.’
Adding, ‘In these messages, the defendant was persistent in sending illicit photographs of herself to the victim and then soliciting the victim to do the same.’
Continuing, ‘She would persistently direct him to engage in sex acts while he was at home and record them. The victim expressed at times, not willingness to go along with some of the activities or uncomfortableness with the activities, but that did not stop the defendant from continuing to message.’
‘One of my greatest accomplishments’
News of Ma’s arrest led to National School District Superintendent Leighangela Brady last week releasing the following statement: ‘Our community learned that Jacqueline Ma, a teacher at Lincoln Acres Elementary School, was re-arrested by law enforcement as their continued investigation into allegations of inappropriate conduct with minors secured additional information to press felony charges.
While this entire situation is indeed deeply troubling, we appreciate that law enforcement is dedicating resources to secure the facts and keeping our school district and community informed of their progress. I am grateful to our entire school community for facing this situation with a shared commitment to do all that we can to maintain our children’s education without interruption’.
Ma who was one of five educators named a 2022 Teacher of the Year, responded at the time stating she ‘considers the relationships she maintains with her students her greatest accomplishments,’ according to NBC 7.
According to her professional profile, Ma has a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in education from the University of California, San Diego. She had been a teacher in the National School District since 2013.
Officials with the National School District said Ma has been placed on leave and “will not be returning to the campus.”
If convicted of all 15 charges, Ma faces up to 29 years in state prison.
