Former Youth Counselor Found Guilty of Sexual Exploitation of a 16-Year-Old

By Trish Mehaffey, Reporter

Amanda Jones

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By Tracey McCullough

Story Created: Sep 1, 2010 at 8:13 PM CDT

Story Updated: Sep 1, 2010 at 8:13 PM CDT

A 24-year-old former Four Oaks youth counselor was found guilty by a Linn County jury Wednesday for kissing a 16-year-old male who was in residential treatment in 2008.

The jury deliberated about an hour Tuesday and more than four hours Wednesday before finding Amanda Jones guilty of sexual exploitation by a counselor or therapist, a serious misdemeanor.

She faces up to a year in jail, a $1875 fine, she will be listed on the sex offender registry for 10 years, ordered to have sex offender treatment and be on the 10 year special parole after she serves her sentence.

Sentencing hasn’t been set at this time.

Jones kissed the 16-year-old, who was in a residential program for behavioral issues, June 3, 2008. She also met the teen two times after the kiss and sent him e-mails in an attempt to pursue a romantic relationship.

The teen testified during trial that he initiated the kiss but said he never replied to the several e-mails she sent him.

Jones didn’t testify.

Mark Brown, Jones’ attorney, said he will seek a deferred judgment for Jones at sentencing to give her an opportunity to expunge her record, since she has no prior criminal history, and a deferred would remove the mandatory 10 year special parole requirement.

Brown thinks the sex offender requirements are harsh in cases like these because there are “major distinctions between this and a felony” (sex-related crime.)

“I think the legislators should have trust in the judges to decide who should be placed on the registry in cases like this,” Brown said.

Assistant Linn County Attorney Laurie Craig didn’t return a phone message Wednesday.

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