Carrie McCandless, the former Brighton high school teacher accused of fondling a 17-year-old male student, received a deferred sentence today on two felonies.
McCandless, 30, pleaded guilty today in Larimer County District Court to the felonies of tampering with physical evidence and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. She also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor of unlawful sexual contact with a minor.
District Judge James Hiatt gave McCandless a deferred sentence for the two felonies. He then scheduled a sentencing hearing for the misdemeanor on June 8.
Under the terms of her plea agreement, McCandless can be sentenced to a maximum of 45 days in county jail and five years’ probation. She isn’t expected to serve any time in jail. She also must register as a sex offender but only for 10 years because the sex charge is a misdemeanor.
If she completes the terms of the agreement, the two felonies against her will be dropped.
The charges result from an October 2006 incident. McCandless chaperoned a group of students from the Brighton Charter High School – where she taught and where her husband is principal – during an overnight field trip near Estes Park.
McCandless was charged with providing alcohol to the group and kissing and groping a student with whom she had developed a relationship. At one point in the relationship, the two said they had sent each other a total of 76 text messages in one day.
While free on bond, she was arrested again for allegedly violating the terms of her release by contacting the student. She denied it, and her husband posted her bond of $25,000.
