Former 'Teacher of the Year' Pleads Guilty to Sex Crimes Involving Elementary Students

A former San Diego County "Teacher of the Year" pleaded guilty to sex crimes involving a minor on Wednesday.

Jaqueline Ma, 35, was a fifth and sixth grade teacher at Lincoln Acres Elementary School in a district she joined in 2013. In March 2023, seven months after she was one of five recipients of the "Teacher of the Year" award, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported a 12-year-old student's parents contacted law enforcement to report an inappropriate relationship between their son and Ma.

An investigation revealed Ma had been sending and receiving sexual images and engaging in sexual acts with the preteen as well as an 11-year-old boy, as reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune.

During court, Ma admitted the boys had committed the acts under duress for her pleasure, FOX 5 reported. A detective also read text messages exchanged between Ma and the 12-year-old boy.

"Sometimes I think you don't understand that I am a kid still and this is my only real relationship," a detective read during court.

Superior Court Judge Maryann D'Addezio stated the evidence was "overwhelmingly clear that the defendant took advantage of two children," and added that she used her power to "coerce [the 12-year-old victim] into behavior that he wasn't ready for, for a relationship that was beyond inappropriate, beyond wrong."

The former teacher pleaded guilty to two counts of lewd acts with a child under age 14 and one count of possessing material containing a minor engaged in or simulating sexual conduct. She is expected to be sentenced to between 30 years to life in prison at her May 9 hearing.