from www.news-gazette.com – URBANA — A teacher’s assistant at Centennial High School has been released from jail on a felony charge that she had a sexual relationship with a teen-age boy she was tutoring.

The allegations against Lynnette McIntyre, 44, who listed an address in the 2400 block of North Neil Street, Champaign, came to light earlier this week when the boy’s parents found text messages of a sexual nature on his cell phone, according to Assistant State’s Attorney Dan Clifton.

McIntyre was arraigned Friday on a single count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse alleging that she, having a position of trust or authority over the 17-year-old, committed a sex act with him on or about Jan. 31.

Champaign County Judge John Kennedy set a $1,000 bond for McIntyre on Friday afternoon and ordered her to have no contact with the victim. She is scheduled to be back in court on March 22. The mother of two was released from custody after posting $100 cash.

Later Friday, State’s Attorney Julia Rietz filed a second, more serious count, of criminal sexual assault against McIntyre. She’ll likely be arraigned on that when she appears in court in March.

If convicted of the criminal sexual assault, she faces a maximum of four to 15 years in prison. Penalities for the sex abuse charge range from probation to three to seven years in prison. Assistant State’s Attorney Sarah Carlson said in court that McIntyre had a prior misdemeanor conviction for theft. The public defender’s office was appointed to represent her.

Clifton said the teen, a student at Centennial, told police that McIntyre was to tutor him and that on at least two occasions last month picked him up at his home and drove him to her apartment. On Jan. 31, after studying, they moved to her bedroom to watch a movie. There, she allegedly performed a sex act on him.

Clifton said afterward, she sent him text messages of a sexual nature, which his parents found on the phone.

Carlson told the judge that McIntyre admitted knowing the boy but initially denied that she tutored him or brought him to her apartment. But he was able to describe the premises to police and even told them the name of the movie they were watching. Police obtained a search warrant for her apartment based on his information, she said.

McIntyre has been working for the school district for about a year, said Beth Shepperd, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources.

Shepperd said teacher’s assistants are not assigned to tutor students outside the school setting. Rather, they work as support in the classroom, under the supervision of a teacher, she said.

Shepperd said McIntyre is currently on administrative leave. With a serious allegation such as this, the district will conduct its own investigation, and cooperate with the police in its investigation, she said. An employee is not allowed to return to work until both investigations are complete, and if the investigations find the allegation is founded, the employee would be terminated.