Jill Lamontagne (above in arrest photo), 29, has pleaded not guilty to multiple sexual assault charges in Maine
A married health teacher from Maine has pleaded not guilty to multiple sexual assault charges after she was accused of repeatedly having sex with a 17-year-old student.
Jill Lamontagne, 29, pleaded not guilty to 14 charges, including six counts of gross sexual assault, two counts of unlawful sexual contact and six counts of sexual abuse of a minor,
Lamontagne was indicted in October and turned herself into authorities.
She allegedly had a relationship with a male student who was in her health class at Kennebunk High School at the time they were sleeping together.
‘The indictment was the culmination of an investigation into a relationship Lamontagne allegedly had with a juvenile, male student while she was a teacher at the school,’ Kennebunk Deputy Chief of Police Michael Nugent to Seacoast Online.
The married mother of two (pictured) was charged with six counts of gross sexual assault, two counts of unlawful sexual contact, and six counts of sexual abuse of a minor in Kennebunk. She is accused of repeatedly having sex with her 17-year-old student and denies the charges
The claims against her came to light in mid-June after the alleged victim attempted to commit suicide after the student ingested a concoction of ibuprofen, Tylenol, cold medicine and blood thinner Warfarin.
‘Mrs. Lamontagne categorically denies the charges,’ Lamontagne’s lawyer, Scott Gardner, said. ‘These allegations arise from a high school rumor which consisted of the fantasies of an emotionally troubled senior at Kennebunk High School. None of this is true.’
The boy confessed to the relationship to his aunt a day after his hospitalization. The student and his teacher had sexual contact ‘numerous times, in the classroom, at her house, in her car,’ the student’s mother wrote.
The student said Lamontagne performed oral sex on him, adding that ‘other stuff also happened.’
The alleged victim’s mother wrote in a protection order request that Lamontagne (pictured with her husband and son) told him she hadn’t had a sexual relationship in two years
Rumors had been swirling about the boy and Lamontagne for some time, but he had previously denied them, according to Journal Tribune.
‘He said he loved her, he said it happened numerous times, in the classroom, at her house, in her car. She told him that she hadn’t had a sexual relationship in two years,’ his mother stated in the court papers.
In June, a district court judge barred the former Kennebunk High School teacher from making any contact with the student for two years because of the sexual abuse complaint.
If found guilty, Lamontagne could be jailed for five years and face a $5,000 fine.
The 17-year-old boy told his aunt after his failed suicide attempt that he and Lamontagne (pictured with her family) allegedly had sexual contact involving oral sex and ‘other stuff’ in class, in her home and in her car
According to the court filing, one sexual encounter took place when Lamontagne instructed him to come over to her home, and that the two of them ‘fooled around’.
The complaint states the student said he felt ‘used’ by Lamontagne, but wanted to carry on with their affair and did not want her to go to prison.
Superintendent of Regional School Unit 21 Katie Hawes said Lamontagne had taught at Kennebunk High School for five years
According to Lamontagne’s personal teaching blog, the 29-year-old wife and mother earned her Bachelor’s degree in health sciences from the University of Southern Maine in 2010, followed by a Master’s degree in inclusion education from the University of New England in 2013.
She was hired straight out of college to work as an education technician at her alma mater, Kennebunk High School, and in 2012 she took the position of lead health teacher.
Lamontagne, a self-described sports fan and half-marathon runner, also coached girls’ baseball and softball at the local middle school.
Under a rubric titled ‘Mission Statement’ on her blog, Lamontagne wrote: ‘My mission is to be an exceptional role model for my students. As a health teacher, I educate students about many aspects of their lives/lifestyles and I believe that I need to practice what I preach.
‘To be successful in teaching students about these very sensitive topics, I am trustworthy, honest and reliable. I strive to be all of these things, along with kind, healthy and responsible so that I am a great role model and mentor for my students.’