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PORTSMOUTH
Cedric D. Cradle, a former football coach and teacher at Churchland High School, was found guilty Monday of two misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, charges stemming from an alleged sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student.
In Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, Judge Alotha Willis sentenced Cradle, 37, to 12 months in jail. Cradle's attorney, Richard W. Ratajczak, appealed the guilty finding. Willis ruled that Cradle did not have to post a new bond, and he was not jailed Monday.
Also Monday, the judge certified to a grand jury two felony counts of indecent liberties against Cradle.
His case - the two appealed misdemeanor convictions and any charges that come out of the grand jury - now will be heard in Circuit Court.
Cradle did not testify Monday, though Ratajczak said he was pleading not guilty to the misdemeanor charges.
The victim testified Monday that she had had a consensual sexual relationship with Cradle from June 2010 to February.
The Virginian-Pilot does not name juvenile victims of crimes.
The student testified in court that Cradle took her to his house one day in June 2010. They talked a bit, and "we left because I didn't want to be there anymore," she said. Another day the same month, she testified, she went to Cradle's house with him again. She said she took her clothes off and he took his clothes off, and that they had sexual intercourse.
Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Derek Colvin showed her pictures of Cradle's house and markings on his body, which she said she recognized.
The alleged relationship came to light after a Feb. 14 incident, when a school security officer saw the victim in a car during school.
The student testified Monday that Cradle gave her keys to his car that morning. She said she got in the car and started the ignition. She also testified that Cradle told her to put her seat down so no one would see her.
On Monday, the security officer recounted that she saw Cradle driving the car, though she did not see the victim at that point.
The student said that on that morning, she and Cradle went to his house and "we went in his room and we had sex." She said she went back to school that morning in Cradle's car, entering through a back door that Cradle left open for her.
Cheryl Ross, (757) 446-2443, cheryl.ross@pilotonline.com
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Coach guilty in sex with minor
Those in authority have to avoid the very appearance of improper contact with minors and walk circumspectly always.We see this happening entirely too much and we must pay for the consequences of our actions. He knew better and there is NO EXCUSE for what has allegedly happened here.I say throw the book at HImM.
R U Kidding me?
When I was 16 there are a lot of things that I wanted to do. Fortunately I was surrounded by real adults! Real adults know that when a fast girl child approaches, she needs to be re-directed and mentored. It doesnt matter if she was an angel or a devil. He was suppose to be an adult. A real man, raises children, not has sex with them. At the age of 18, you are grown and should act responsibly. You cant even send children to school because you never know when a disobedient child will mis-behave and instead of being directed by an adult, some pervert might be excited and decide to behave poorly. He behaved like a boy because he was tempted by sex. I expect that from a 16 year old boy not a wanna be grown man. Pray for him. He needs it!!
I appreciate the responses to my comment on this...
And I think there were some great points made. I seen comments after and I NEVER mentioned it was OK for the teacher to act the way he did. The main point I aimed to make is that we always make the children so innocent in these situations and how well do we know our kids! Law says a minor can't consent to sex but I just read an article where a 17 year old got 38 years for rape. Kids who decide to kill others... I guess they can't consent to killing. But I have a 15 year old niece who I'm close with and I check on her facebook normally to see what she is up to. So far the worst thing I saw was her use "LMAO" instead of "LMBO", ha ha. But I see her friends who post some explicit things and wonder...
What do parents do to prevent this?
cont.
cont.
Where was this young lady's parents during their affair? Did her parents know she was spending time with the coach like this? What are her parents saying now. Are they in disbelief that this happened and don't want to take any fault and believe their daughter is such an angel?
As for the coach, I guess he have to have a daughter to understand his actions but my take on sex is that if you have to sneak around to do it then you probably shouldn't be doing it in the first place.
Coach as Predator
I'm disturbed by the comments that seem not to understand that the coach is a predator who preyed on this student, using his power and authority to coerce his victim into complying. Therefore, this in no way is a consensual relationship. He's the teacher, the adult, and the one who has power and authority over his students, and so he used his position to manipulate this victim into doing his bidding. When there's this kind of imbalance of power, not to mention age, the victim in no way is giving her consent. This coach has violated the teacher-student relationship in every way, as does any teacher who engages in sexual behavior with any of student of any age. No teacher, ever, should engage in a seuxal relationship with a student!
PERVERTED MONSTER
Good thing for him that it was not my child or there would be a follow on story and I would gladly admit being guilty.
Comment deleted
Comment removed for rules violation. Reason: Obscene, vulgar, sexual
I Think the ADULT should be to blame!
I don't care how mature a 16 year old looks an ADULT should not even think about having a relationship with her. What does she have to offer him at 16 years old? I'm more than sure this girl flirted with him but it was up to him THE ADULT to handle the situation appropriately. Would you feel the same way if the teacher was sleeping with YOUR daughter? I don't think so. If a 16 year old can seduce a man with children older than she what does that say about him? You can spin it any way you want but it is NEVER okay for a grown man to sleep with a teenager. Now he has thrown away his career and for what? For the rest of his life the stigma of being a predator will be attached to him and I don't think he'll ever be able to work in school again
Its Foul play
Both the coach's behavior was wrong and the student's behavior was wrong. We need to coach both our children and adults properly. First and foremost,they both engaged in premarital sexual intercourse which is wrong both morally and legally in Va. The Coach now probably wishes he waited until after marriage before engaging in sexual intercourse with the young woman. Second, we should expect better from our adults who are in positions of authority (e.g.,High School teachers/coaches)and never make excuses for an abuse of authority(e.g.,the student seduced the teacher). Lastly, we need to train our children to conduct themselves with more respect,taking greater control over their own bodies so as to not carelessly destroy their own bodies.
I think this is another
I think this is another example of arrogance. He was winning in football and maybe he felt he could get away with it--just like Tiger or Weiner or Schwarzenegger. I say cut the capability to produce children from people like this.