FAIRFIELD, Ohio — The Fairfield substitute teacher who admitted fondling himself in a middle school classroom pleaded guilty Monday to public indecency, the Journal-News reported.
The attorney for Tracey Abraham, 41, of Cincinnati, withdrew his motion to suppress statements his client made to police on Jan. 8. Abraham was pulled out of a Creekside Middle School classroom on Nilles Road after the school resource officer received several complaints that he was fondling himself with students present.
Attorney Louis Sirkin had claimed his client was not mentally capable of waiving his Miranda rights. A video played during a several hours long motion to suppress hearing last month, shows Abraham signing a Miranda waiver.
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The hearing was to continue Monday, but instead Abraham withdrew his not guilty plea and Sirkin withdrew the motion to suppress.
Fairfield Municipal Court Judge Joyce Campbell sentenced Abraham to 180 days in jail, and suspending all 180 days, ordered him to five years probation. Abraham is to report to probation 9 a.m. on April 8.
He is also ordered to provide proof of counseling or therapy to his probation officer and relinquish his substitute teacher’s certificate to the state of Ohio.
Campbell also told police to return Abraham’s phone.
Students had observed the alleged act, according to police and a video posted to social media that was recorded by a 13-year-old female student. No students were involved in the act.
Abraham admitted to police he was looking at images on his cellphone while fondling himself outside his pants, and admitted he “fondled himself four or five times over the course of an hour,” according to the police report. He was never exposed, police said.
The Journal-News is a media partner of WCPO 9 On Your Side.
