Jan 29, 2008 - Shawn Ebersold, a Westfield teacher and boys' basketball coach, pleaded no contest to a charge of having sexually explicit Internet chat conversations with one of his students, who was 16 or 17 at the time.
He was granted deferred prosecution for two years and was ordered to complete court-ordered psychological counselling. After two years, the charge will be changed to contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Marquette County Circuit Court Judge Richard Wright scolded Ebersold for violating his position as a teacher — someone students look up to.Ebersold was originally charged in 2005 with sending sexually explicit instant messages to the student. During the conversations, "Ebersold provided graphic descriptions of sexual activity," according to a criminal complaint. The conversations also reportedly included Ebersold expressing a desire to engage in sex acts with the alleged victim and another female.
"Taking advantage of that situation as you did is absolutely reprehensible," he said.
A legal technicality led to the dismissal of the charge in February 2006. An appeals court reversed the decision last November, and the case was reopened. Ebersold resigned in June 2004 and surrendered his teaching license.
The girl spoke about how students at her school harassed her and how she was ostracized. Even her own brother stopped talking to her.
Ebersold is 33.
