No Deal: Former Par Hills Teacher Rejects Plea In Sex Case, Will Go To Trial

PARSIPPANY, N.J. – Former Parsippany Hills High School teacher Jenna Leahey would rather go to trial than take one of two plea deals offered by the state in a case alleging she had sexual relations with a high school student.

The trial is set to begin July 11 for Leahey, 33, who rejected a plea deal that would require her to admit guilt to official misconduct, which would have landed her in jail for five years, nj.com reported.

A second plead deal had Leahey admitting to child endangerment, which would have sentenced her to five years but a chance at earlier parole, the report said. In addition, she would have to register as a sex offender upon her release.

Leahey is accused of engaging in sexually explicit conversations and sexual contact with a then-16-year-old male student between January and June of 2013. Leahey has contended that she touched the teen’s genitals, but only because he forced her hand there.

Leahey was an English teacher at the school as well as a field hockey coach. She was relieved of her duties there after her indictment, when she was formally charged with sexual assault, official misconduct, child endangerment, and criminal sexual contact.