Ex-high school band director won’t serve time for relationship with male student
Published 6:08 am Saturday, May 15, 2021
Former Chilton County High School band director Ashlee Elizabeth Steinman has been sentenced to two years of probation after pleading guilty to a charge of distributing obscene material to a student while a school employee.
She was given a suspended sentence of one year in jail, so she will not serve any jail time.
Steinman will also be required to pay fines and court costs.
According to a press release from the 19th Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, she was “ordered to have no contact with the victim and required to attend mental health counseling.” “Additionally, Steinman executed a signed letter of resignation with the Chilton County Board of Education and surrendered her teaching certificate to the Department of Education as part of the plea agreement,” according to the press release.
A preliminary hearing had been set for May 11, but was not held after Steinman pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge.
“The end result is definitely bittersweet,” CJ Robinson, chief deputy district attorney, said. “I think Ashlee Steinman used her official position to target a young man and perform sexual acts with him. However, what we believe and what we can prove are sometimes different things. Ultimately, this young man can close this chapter of his life and proceed with pursuing a bright future in college. Every decision on this case was carefully made with direct input from the victim, his family, and law enforcement.”
In February, Steinman had been charged with two felony offenses — school employee committing a sex act with a student under the age of 19 and a school employee having sexual contact with a student under the age of 19. These charges carried a possible sentence of two to 20 years.
Steinman had been arrested after the Clanton Police Department investigated a possible inappropriate relationship between a female teacher and a male student at Chilton County High School.
“The amended charge was the product of plea negotiations that included the victim, his family, Clanton Police Department and school officials,” according to information for the 19th Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office.