Former elementary school teacher Mackenzie Naught, 25, has pleaded guilty to having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student, avoiding a five-year prison sentence under a plea agreement. The deal, confirmed by Whitman County senior deputy prosecutor Tessa Scholl, limits Naught's incarceration to a maximum of 12 months in county jail.
Plea deal spares victim from testifying
Prosecutor Scholl defended the reduced sentence, stating that Naught's guilty plea "represents an important step in holding her accountable for her actions and spares [the victim] the burden of having to testify at trial." Naught was initially charged with sexual misconduct with a minor after engaging in sexual acts with the teen in her truck shortly after she began teaching first grade at St. John Elementary School.
Husband exposed the affair
Naught's misconduct was uncovered by her husband, an assistant track coach at the high school attended by the victim. After Naught confessed the affair to him, he reported her to police. Naught initially denied the encounter to law enforcement, but her husband provided screenshots from her cell phone that proved otherwise.
Victim's account of the relationship
The 16-year-old boy told police that Naught initiated contact by being "flirty" and sending secret messages while her husband slept, begging him to meet her. Despite initial hesitation, the boy eventually agreed. Naught directed him to drive to a secluded spot, where she became "handsy," kissed him, and engaged in sexual activity in his truck. The boy said Naught urged him to keep quiet, warning that she could lose her job if exposed.
Consequences and apology
Naught was fired from her teaching position and is now divorcing her husband. She apologized after her arrest, admitting her behavior was wrong. Under the terms of the plea deal, Naught will be required to register as a sex offender for 10 years.
