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Despite Probation Violation, Lafave Won't Go To Prison

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By STEPHEN THOMPSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 10, 2008

Updated: 01/10/2008 04:01 pm

TAMPA - Circuit Judge J. Rogers Padgett determined that Debra Lafave did violate her house arrest by having private conversations with a 17-year-old co-worker at a Sun City Center restaurant.

He also determined, however, that the violation was neither willful nor substantial, therefore she will continue house arrest under the current conditions.

Before her arrest for the violation, her attorney said he plans to ask the court to commute her third and final year of house arrest to probation. After today's hearing, he still plans to make that request.

Lafave was sentenced to three years of house arrest and a subsequent seven years of probation. In 2005, she was sentenced after she pleaded guilty to having sex with a 14-year-old.

She has completed two years of her house arrest.

At today's hearing, Lafave's attorney, John Fitzgibbons, told the judge that the probation officer knew about his client's conversations with the teenager for more than a year. In 2006, Lafave took a polygraph exam where she said there were two 17-year-old girls at work and she often discussed private matters with them including one teen's mention that she had lost her virginity the night before.

The probation officer did not file a violation against her after the exam.

In 2007, Lafave again took a polygraph test where she revealed she had conversation with an underage co-worker that included talk about each other's sex lives and included jocular activity such as slapping each other on the butt.

In court today, Lafave admitted to "horseplay" and "girl talk" she also acknowledged she hugged and shook hands with the 17-year-old girl but that it was "innocent." She denied having a flirtatious relationship with the teen.

After Padgett's ruling, Fitzgibbons said he was pleased with the outcome.

"Everyone knows in a workplace there is conversation among employees, there is horseplay, there is girl talk," he said.

Since the arrest, Lafave has quit working at the restaurant and is working as receptionist at her mother's beauty shop.

The girl has since turned 18.

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