Lafave Free Despite "Condition 69" Violation

JANUARY 10--Debra Lafave, the former Florida middle school teacher and convicted boy lover, avoided a return to jail today when a Florida judge ruled that while she violated terms of her probation, her actions were neither 'willful or substantial.'

Judge J. Rogers Padget's ruling came after Department of Corrections officials last month charged Lafave with violating terms of her probation, which was imposed following a 2005 guilty plea to two counts of lewd and lascivious battery on a 14-year-old boy.

According to a probation report, a copy of which you'll find here, Lafave violated 'Condition 69' of her terms of release, which specified that she have no contact with minors. Investigators contended that Lafave, 27, spoke last year about 'non-work related issues' with a teenage girl with whom she was employed at a Ruskin, Florida restaurant. Lafave and the girl, now 18, chatted about 'family problems, friends, high school, personal life, boyfriend issues and sexual issues,' investigators charged.

Lafave worked at Danny Boy's Restaurant from January 2006 until last November, when a probation officer directed her to resign in the face of the Condition 69 allegations. She now lives with her parents and works as a receptionist at a Ruskin barber shop owned by her mother Joyce.

Lafave is also attending sex offender treatment sessions and has been making 'steady progress,' according to the probation report. (3 pages)