Rubbing her wedding ring as tears streamed down her face, Brandy Reynolds could barely be heard when she pleaded no contest to attempted first-degree sexual assault Wednesday in Dodge County District Court.
As part of a plea agreement, the 25-year-old former teacher at Omaha Baptist Academy entered her plea to the Class III felony. In exchange for that plea, the charge was amended from first-degree sexual assault, a Class II felony, and Dodge County Attorney Paul Vaughan agreed not to make any recommendations at sentencing.
A Class III felony carries a possible sentence of a minimum of one year in prison and a maximum of 20 years while a Class II felony caries a possible penalty of up to 50 years in prison.
Reynolds was set to face a jury trial next week.
Reynolds is accused of having multiple sexual encounters with the then 15-year-old boy between Dec. 8, 2004, and Dec. 6, 2005, at her Fremont apartment and another non-residential location. Reynolds was 22 at the beginning of the relationship and 23 when it ended. The boy, who is from the Fremont area, is now 17, and was a student at the school.
The sworn affidavit of Fremont Police Detective Joyce Henke showed the sexual relationship actually lasted until May 2006. However, Nebraska law states that when the boy turned 16, the relationship was no longer illegal. In Nebraska it is illegal for anyone 19 years or older to have sexual contact with someone less than 16 years old.
Vaughan said the investigation into Reynolds began after an April 28 anonymous report to the state Health and Human Services department. He said the anonymous reporter claimed the boy was in a sexual relationship with Reynolds. The boy's parents also reported the case.
The affidavit stated the boy's parents found out about the relationship from Pastor Adam Love of Calvary Baptist Church in Fremont after Reynolds had confided in him about the relationship.
“Our hearts go out to the Reynolds and the family of the minor,” Love said Wednesday afternoon.
Love declined further comment pending conferencing with his congregation.
Vaughan said the plea agreement was in the best interest of all involved.
“I wanted to try to resolve (the case) without the victim having to through the trial process,” Vaughan said. “This will still cause her to have to register as a sex offender.”
He said the conviction also would prevent Reynolds from teaching children and limit her contact with minors.
An attorney for Westwood Heights Baptist Church, which is affiliated with the school, told The Associated Press in June they had not heard from Reynolds since May 2006.
Reynolds quit her teaching job on her own and the allegations of sexual assault against her were not known by the church leadership until recently, attorney Jerry Rauterkus said in June.
Omaha Baptist Academy enrolls about 30 students.
A pre-sentence investigation was ordered for Reynolds and sentencing was set for Sept. 24.
Print This Story
Email This Story
