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Lafave's House Arrest Officially Ends

Tribune file photo by JAY NOLAN

Debra LaFave has been doing well with her treatment, says her lawyer, John Fitzgibbons, right, seen with his client in April.

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By THOMAS W.  KRAUSE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 10, 2008

Updated: 07/11/2008 12:06 am

TAMPA - Schoolteacher-turned-sex offender Debra Lafave officially is released from house arrest today.

Her full sentence will not conclude, though, until she completes a little more than seven years of probation.

Lafave's attorney, John Fitzgibbons, said she is looking forward to the next phase of her life

"She continues to do well in her treatment, but it will be a lifelong struggle for her," Fitzgibbons said. "I'm very proud of how well she's done so far with her treatment."

He declined to speculate on 27-year-old Lafave's future.

Owen Lafave, Debra's former husband, is scheduled to appear on NBC's "Today" show this morning. He has often made critical public comments about his ex-wife.

Fitzgibbons questioned why he remains willing to speak publicly about his former wife.

"To my knowledge Mr. Lafave hasn't had any contact with Debbie in over four years," Fitzgibbons said. "He has a life and family. It's past the time when he needs to forget about Debbie and move on with his family." Owen Lafave did not return phone calls seeking comment this evening.

Debra Lafave, a former English teacher at Greco Middle School, was arrested in June 2004 after a 14-year-old boy's mother called police to report that Lafave was having sex with him. Prosecutors have said the only reason they offered Lafave a plea deal was the extreme level of media coverage. The teenager's mother wanted to spare him the difficulties of testifying at trial.

Fitzgibbons argued that Lafave has a psychiatric condition dating back several years before the sexual incidents. He said he was prepared to go to trial with doctors testifying about her bipolar disorder and how it affected her judgment.

The terms of Lafave's plea deal with prosecutors – inked in November 2005 – stated that she was to serve three years of house arrest followed by seven years of probation. If she did not willfully violate house arrest after the first two years, she was allowed to ask a judge to commute the third year to probation.

While serving house arrest, Lafave had one legal incident. In December, Lafave was arrested for having inappropriate conversations with a 17-year-old girl at a restaurant where they both worked. Circuit Judge J. Rogers Padgett determined the conversations were a violation of her house arrest but were not "willful." She was not punished.

Fitzgibbons had argued to the judge that the conversations were common workplace discussions and were age-appropriate.

Later, Fitzgibbons asked for Lafave's early release. He gave two letters to the judge. One was from a woman who runs a sex-offender treatment program, who wrote that Lafave had attended 99 sessions as of March. The second letter was from Lafave's psychiatrist. Both wrote that they had no problems with Lafave leaving house arrest early, Fitzgibbons said.

All Lafave's community service is complete and all her fines are paid, Fitzgibbons said.

Prosecutors said the victim's mother did not want Lafave released early.

Padgett said Lafave would be released from house arrest today if she stayed out of trouble. Assistant State Attorney Pam Bondi said today that Lafave has had no more violations.

"Her house arrest will be converted to probation over our objections," Bondi said.

Reporter Thomas W. Krause can be reached at (813) 259-7698 or tkrause@tampatrib.com.

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