La Mesa Teacher's Aide Who Had Sex with Minor Gets 3 Years Probation

A female teacher's aide who had sex with a 15-year-old male student at a La Mesa area school for juvenile offenders was sentenced Thursday to probation and ordered to register as a sex offender.

Chrystina Delrosario, 25, pleaded guilty in December to two counts of having unlawful sex with a minor. She admitted she had sex with the boy in a classroom in late June at La Mesa's Reflections Central School, an educational program for juvenile offenders run by the San Diego County Office of Education on behalf of the county Probation Department.

Judge John Thompson suspended a 365-day jail term for Delrosario pending successful completion of her three-year probation.

Delrosario's attorney, Lindsey Mercer, said that the experience has been "a surreal nightmare" for her client, who is currently four months pregnant with her first child with her husband.

Mercer said that throughout the process, her client has been completely cooperative, and has taken voluntary psych evaluations, which have determined that she is not predatory, and is not a threat to the community.

"[Delrosario] is not a predatory who sought after the student," said Mercer. "She takes full responsibility for her actions and understands what she did and that the boundaries got blurred."

At that point, Judge Thompson interrupted Mercer.

"I was okay until you characterized it as boundaries being blurred," Thompson said. "She had sex twice with the student. Please do not suggest that this is something it isn't. It might be a good idea at this point to just submit [your sentencing recommendation]."

The victim's mother, Danielle Albright, was also in court, and spoke to the judge. She said that she was not out for vengeance, and did not have any hard feelings toward Delrosario.

She added that she chose Reflections Central School because she thought it was the kind of environment that her son, who had previously "had his fair share of trouble," needed. She said she trusted the teaching staff there, and since the incident, Albright said that she has had problems with her son's behavior.

"I'm just saddened by the whole thing," Albright said. "I just want whatever justice to be served that you see fit."

Thompson thanked Albright for speaking and assured her that Delrosario would never teach again.

The judge said he would "entertain" withdrawing the sex registration requirement after a year of probation, and would also consider reducing the felony conviction to a misdemeanor after two years of successful probation.

Delrosario was arrested in mid-July and was later freed on $100,000 bail.

A review hearing for Delrosario's probationary status was scheduled for Wednesday, May 15.  She was ordered to report to the probation office immediately.

–City News Service contributed to this report.