Former Cedar Rapids Schools employee pleads guilty to enticement of a minor

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - A former employee with the Cedar Rapids Community School District has pleaded guilty to federal charges that accused her of having sex with a 14-year-old student for whom she was his therapist.

Miranda Breeden, 46, pleaded guilty to the single count of enticement of a minor. She faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in federal prison, which could reach a maximum of a life sentence.

According to the criminal complaint, a parent contacted the school resource officer with the Cedar Rapids Police Department on January 22 and alleged that she believed her 14-year-old son’s school therapist was having sex with him. She did not know the person’s name at the time, but went through her son’s cell phone the next day and identified messages from a woman who was named Miranda. Her older son confirmed to the mother that Miranda was the younger son’s therapist.

Prosecutors used interviews with witnesses and corroborating electronic evidence to build their case against Breeden.

According to school district officials, Breeden had been working as a mental health therapist in the district since August 12, 2019, though she had no contact with students after an allegation was made on January 22, 2020. She was terminated from district employment on July 30, 2020.

Breeden also faces a $250,000 fine and at least five years of supervised release after the completion of her prison term.