Sentenced to 26 years. He will not be eligible for parole for 13 years. Sex offender for life.
"He knows I love Winnie the Pooh," she said.
TRIAL: July 18, 2007 -
David Van Houten, 31, a social studies teacher at Midland Academy Charter School, is on trial, charged with four felonies, for sex with a 14-year-old girl.
An English teacher and a teacher's aide both testified. The English teacher saw the van Houten and the child kissing and described it as a "romantic" kiss. The aide testified that van Houten asked her to destroy letters in his desk. Instead, she gave them to the principal. A science teacher testified that she protested van Houten taking the girl out of her class.
Then the 14-year-old girl testified about the two sexual encounters on the floor of the classroom, that was preceded by the the CD's that he had given her of the music of the Beatles and Winnie the Pooh. He also bought her a necklace and held hands with her during field trips to see the "Aquila and the Bee" movie.
TT - And if you don't cry reading the humiliation of this little girl, you aren't human.
GUILTY VERDICT AND SENTENCING RECOMMENDATION
July 24 - Van Houton was convicted on all four second-degree felony counts, In the punishment phase of the trial, the jury recommended a 13-year sentence for each of the four felony charges of which it had convicted former middle school teacher David Van Houten.
The surprise of the day Monday was the punishment phase testimony of a 31-year-old Odessa woman who said Van Houten, her cousin, had molested her when they were 13 years old.Van Houten is married and has a 5-year-old son. His wife supports him.
A judge will decide on Wednesday whether the sentence will run concurrently or consecutively.
SENTENCED: July 25 - Van Houten was sentenced to 26 years. He will not be eligible for parole for 13 years. He must also register as a Sex Offender for the rest of his life.
NO NEW TRIAL Oct 9 - Van Houten has been denied a new trial after his attorney claimed the case wasn't "properly litigated."
