Cape Coral teacher pleads guilty to sex with student

Writer: Derrick Shaw
Published: Updated:
James Harris – Photo courtesy of state attorney’s office.

A Cape Coral teacher pled guilty for having sex with a child. He was accused back in 2017.

James Harris, 43, was sentenced to 11 years in prison Monday for having sex with one of his students at Mariner High School in Cape Coral.

According to the state attorney’s office press release, Harris pled guilty to the charge of Sexual Activity with a Child with an enhancement to the charge of “Being in a Position of Custodial Authority.”

According to the press release, Harris will complete four years of sex offender probation following his sentence. He has been designated as a sexual predator.

Harris was a basketball coach and teacher at the high school.

According to the press release “The plea agreement reached with the defendant and the State alleviates the juvenile victim from having to go through a trial and testify. Special Victims Unit Assistant State Attorney Michael Colombo Jr. prosecuted the case.”

In a previous WINK News report, the Lee County school district was unable to provide comment on separate illegal behavior Harris is accused of from 2008. The district did not provide comment because it was after regular business hours. But, it was able to provide its statement regarding Harris on Monday as promised.

According to Lee County Schools, “The district had absolutely no knowledge of an inappropriate relationship between James Harris and a student in 2008.  Had we been notified, swift action would have been taken.”

 

 

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