TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online
Bail Hearing This Morning In Teacher-Student Sex Case
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Published: May 2, 2008
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TAMPA - Prosecutors are scheduled to ask a judge today to keep teacher Stephanie Ragusa behind bars until she stands trial on charges including unlawful sexual activity with minors.
Ragusa, 29, is accused by sheriff's deputies of having sex with a 16-year-old student, while out on bail for charges that she previously had sex with the same teen. She also faces charges that she had sex with a 14-year-old last year.
On Tuesday, prosecutors wanted to ask Circuit Judge J. Rogers Padgett to hold her without bail. The hearing was delayed until today so her attorney could prepare.
Ragusa has been held at the Orient Road Jail since her arrest Monday, the third arrest in six weeks in connection with allegations she had sex with the two high school boys. The most recent charges were levied when a sheriff's detective spotted her coming out of a student's house and learned they had just had sex again, according to an arrest report.
Ragusa violated two terms of her release: She contacted the victim and she was arrested on a new charge, said Assistant State Attorney Pam Bondi.
If Ragusa is denied bail today, she might be looking at months in jail before trial. Similar cases in Hillsborough County took up to two years before charges were resolved.
TBO.com isn't naming the students to avoid identifying a possible sex crime victim.
Reporter Thomas W. Krause can be reached at (813) 259-7698 or tkrause@tampatrib.com.
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Reader Comments
Posted by ( stephen02893 ) on May 2, 2008 at 1:04 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
A prior article says that she is still, "under suspension without pay". How is it possible to hold a job while spending all this time in jail?
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Posted by ( ejstarling ) on May 2, 2008 at 1:51 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
This is really starting to be a joke. If she were a man she wouldn't have gotten out after the first time she did this. 3 strikes and you're in. She keeps laughing and smiling at the system because she knows that everyone thinks that they are little boys, and it's no big deal. But she is a predator, plain and simple.
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Posted by ( masterzvoice ) on May 2, 2008 at 2:50 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( bnav ) on May 2, 2008 at 5:49 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
keep smiling Stephanie !
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Posted by ( jviars ) on May 2, 2008 at 6:34 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Stephanie I will wait for you to get out. I dont care what people say about you. I know you are a god person and that you were just trying to get through to us. Age is nothing but a number.
Please cut her some slack. None of you even know her. She is a good person. You cant rape the wiling. I will wait for you. XOXO
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Posted by ( jandpbell ) on May 2, 2008 at 7:12 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
see if it were my son i would hope she would get bail... heck, i would even pay it....... but then i would pay her a visit... maybe get her some lunch.... u know... a nice knuckle sammich... but thats you know if it were my son.
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Posted by ( Veedub447 ) on May 2, 2008 at 7:13 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
If she doesn't get out on bail there are going to be a lot of disappointed teenage boys in Tampa.
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Posted by ( bonkbonk ) on May 2, 2008 at 7:28 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
These stories make me so sad that school was never like this when I went.
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Posted by ( rican59 ) on May 2, 2008 at 7:29 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Let her out. All they are doing is wasting taxpayers money. Heck, I wish I was that lucky when I went school. All my teachers were old and ugly.
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Posted by ( Zipnby ) on May 2, 2008 at 7:33 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
She definitely has mental issues!
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Posted by ( rican59 ) on May 2, 2008 at 7:38 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Ugly as she is it's probaly all she can get is little boys. Desperate ones at that!!!!!!!!!
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Posted by ( VatoLoco ) on May 2, 2008 at 7:47 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
jviars you are nuts.
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Posted by ( gbr ) on May 2, 2008 at 8 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
It's a sad state of affairs when teachers who have been seen as pilars of the community for so long are resorting to this kind of behavior. It's really, really sad. They should not ever be allowed to be around children again. Lock them up and throw away the key.
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Posted by ( ToTheBeachWeGo ) on May 2, 2008 at 8:18 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Of course she shouldn't be let out on bail! She went right back to the same crime last time! We'll see what our justice system does.
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Posted by ( Rodman_Barone ) on May 2, 2008 at 8:21 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I'd hit it.
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Posted by ( bossimareek ) on May 2, 2008 at 8:29 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
really think she needs to stay and get help from jail doctor's or just sit in there until they know her mental state she will strike again if she was a male she would not have had this many chances
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Posted by ( 1voice ) on May 2, 2008 at 8:35 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
jviars,
I don't buy it. Nice try.
Rodman,
Not me, not with yours!
Rican,
And this is different how?
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Posted by ( ejstarling ) on May 2, 2008 at 8:35 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
It crazy now that if a male teacher has sex with a little girl, it doesn't seem as news worthy. It makes you wonder why all these women keep getting caught doing this. They get no jail time and they get 15 minutes of fame, and if you're hot enough, Playboy might come calling. Something needs to deter them.
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Posted by ( Old_FL_Crab ) on May 2, 2008 at 8:35 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I'd post bail for her. Got a spare bedroom to lock her in to make sure she doesn't jump bail ;-)
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Posted by ( politicalmike ) on May 2, 2008 at 8:46 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Give her bail and put that homeless guy with the bullet in his leg in jail, or at least get him a handle of Jack Daniels since all homeless people live for the sauce.
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Posted by ( Doofy ) on May 2, 2008 at 8:47 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
So she got caught with the same boy again. So what...she is a teacher and teachers go over the same thing again and again until you learn it. Maybe she thinks she is a doctor since she makes house calls.
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Posted by ( noodles76 ) on May 2, 2008 at 8:50 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Is home schooling the only answer?
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Posted by ( LL ) on May 2, 2008 at 8:54 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
She needs to stay right where she is, she has demonstrated her willingness to flaunt the law, keep her locked up.
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Posted by ( TylerDurden ) on May 2, 2008 at 9:03 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( Longball ) on May 2, 2008 at 9:13 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Well, she should and will stay in jail, but for those who think this poor boy was traumatized, Yea right. He was so traumatized he hit it twice.
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Posted by ( TylerDurden ) on May 2, 2008 at 9:22 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
C'mon TBO!.. that was just crass not dirty and I do talk that way in front of my mom.. every one does
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Posted by ( radius ) on May 2, 2008 at 3:19 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Well if the women can do it and get away with it, I think the men should be able to do the same. Let all the pedophiles out of prison since our legal system smiles on women rapists.
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Posted by ( Oops ) on May 2, 2008 at 4:38 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
This woman needs psychiatric help. I hope they have a good psychiatrist at the prison to which they send her.
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