Jennifer Christine Fichter (born December 8, 1984) is an American former teacher who was convicted in

Polk County, Florida Polk County is located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. The county population was 725,046, as of the 2020 census. Its county seat is Bartow, and its largest city is Lakeland. Polk County comprises the Lakeland–Winter Ha ...

, United States, in 2015 of

sexual battery Battery is a criminal Offence (law), offense involving unlawful physical contact, distinct from assault which is the act of creating apprehension of such contact. Battery is a specific common law offense, although the term is used more general ...

against three 17-year-old male students. She was sentenced to 22 years imprisonment.

Early life and career

Jennifer Fichter was born on December 8, 1984, and graduated from

Paxon School for Advanced Studies Paxon School for Advanced Studies (PSAS) is one of four International Baccalaureate senior high schools (the others being Stanton College Preparatory School, Wolfson High School, and Terry Parker High School) in Duval County, Florida. Accordi ...

Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the ...

, in June 2003. She then attended the

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...

from August 2003 to December 2006 earning a

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...

Degree majoring in English. She held instructional teaching positions at Robinswood Middle School,

Orange County, Florida Orange County is located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,429,908, making it Florida's fifth most populous county. The county seat is Orlando. Orange County is the central county ...

, from August 13, 2007, to December 19, 2008, when she resigned pending the outcome an investigation for alleged offenses of inappropriate behavior.

Sexual abuse, trial, and sentencing

Fichter was hired as an English teacher at

Kathleen High School Kathleen Senior High School is the second oldest of four high schools in Lakeland, Florida, United States. It was originally housed north of its present location, at the site of the current Kathleen Middle School.Polk County Polk County is the name of twelve counties in the United States, all except two named after president of the United States James Knox Polk: * Polk County, Arkansas * Polk County, Florida * Polk County, Georgia * Polk County, Iowa * Polk Count ...

judge called her a predator during sentencing. The sentencing by Judge Glenn T. Shelby was immediately controversial, with the unusually long sentence being reviled by many, especially in Europe. Fichter is currently imprisoned in Gadsden Correctional Facility and is scheduled for release on January 19, 2035.

References

1984 births Living people Sex and the law Schoolteachers from Florida American women educators Place of birth missing (living people) School sexual abuse scandals 21st-century American criminals American female criminals People convicted of statutory rape offenses University of Florida alumni 21st-century American women American people convicted of child sexual abuse American rapists Sex scandals in the United States Female rapists {{US-crime-bio-stub

Early life and career

Sexual abuse, trial, and sentencing

See also

References