DA: Teacher from LI admits to statutory rape of student

A West Babylon woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to statutory rape after she admitted having sex with a 14-year-old student in the Queens classroom where she is a middle schoolteacher, the Queens district attorney's office said.

Melissa Weber, 27, was caught when the boy's mother heard rumors and found hundreds of text messages and calls between the two, authorities said.

"The defendant's admission of guilt today not only ensures that she is held responsible for her actions but it also spares the young victim in this case the emotional trauma of having to testify at trial," Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said in a statement.

Weber pleaded guilty to second-degree rape before acting Queens Supreme Court Justice Robert Raciti.

The judge set sentencing for Sept. 23, at which time she will likely be sentenced to time served. Weber will be on probation for 10 years and must register as a sex offender for the next 20 years.

During her term of probation she must undergo sex offender counseling. She is restricted in her use of the Internet, and must tell the probation department of any Internet identifiers she uses, and has to stay off social network Web sites. She is also banned from being on school grounds or any other places where children under the age of 18 congregate.

The conviction will lead to an automatic revocation of her teaching license.

She had sex with the boy on seven occasions between April 13 and May 14 during the hours of 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., prosecutors said. She told the boy, "Don't tell anyone. I could get arrested and I could lose my teaching license," prosecutors said.