Shanna Ries (Codington County Jail)
WATERTOWN, S.D. (KFGO) – A former teacher from Henry, South Dakota entered a guilty plea Wednesday to a charge of sexual contact with a child under 18 by a person of authority.
During a status hearing, Shanna Ries pleaded guilty to the class 6 felony, which is punishable by up to two years in prison, and up to a $4,000 fine.
In exchange for the guilty plea, the prosecution dropped four other charges, including three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, and a separate charge of sexual contact with a child under 18 by a person of authority.
Ries self-reported the incident involving a 16 year-old male student in March of this year. A sentencing hearing is set for August 30.
Ries, a Lisbon, North Dakota native, had been teaching English Language Arts to middle and high school students. She submitted her resignation after being charged.
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