PROVO — For the past four years Karen Esther Draper has been working after school hours helping students at American Fork Junior High School prepare for their drama productions.
The Utah County Attorney's Office on Monday filed 12 felony charges in 4th District Court against the Alpine School District teacher's aide for allegedly having a nine-month sexual relationship with a former student.
Draper, who will turn 44 in two weeks, was charged with 10 counts of forcible sexual abuse, which are second-degree felonies, and two counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a 16-year-old, which are third-degree felonies.
At a Tuesday morning hearing, Judge Guy R. Burningham granted a defense request to eliminate the cash-only bail requirement that has kept Draper confined since her Oct. 13 arrest at the school.
"There is no justification in the statute for it (cash-only requirement)," argued Mike Esplin, Draper's attorney. He noted that Draper is a life-long resident of American Fork and is not a flight risk.
Burningham agreed, allowing the bail to be made bondable and noting the monetary value to the state remains the same.
Burningham also set a Nov. 3 waiver hearing at which time a preliminary hearing date will be set if it is determined there is no likelihood of reaching a plea agreement in the case.
Investigators allege that the boy was 14 when he and Draper began working together in 1998 in a theater class. Their relationship continued when the boy moved on to high school, with Draper helping him with drama skills and the boy helping her with church assignments.
The relationship allegedly became sexual in January of this year while the boy was visiting at Draper's home. The alleged sexual activity, which prosecutors noted did not include intercourse, began when the boy was 15 and continued after he turned 16 and lasted through September.
American Fork Police Lt. Andrew Hale said police learned of the relationship from an ecclesiastical leader, who notified police after being informed about dozens of e-mail letters between the boy and Draper.
Police say a printed stack of the e-mails, which contain details about the relationship, is more than an inch thick. After reading the letters, police interviewed Draper and the teenage boy.
Prosecutors charged Draper with the second-degree felonies for using a position of trust to influence the boy into participating in the alleged sexual acts.
Draper began working for the school district in 1990 as a substitute teacher. In 1994 she moved up to a teacher's aide, working at various schools throughout the district. Since 1996, however, she has worked mainly in the drama department at American Fork Junior High School assisting in theatrical productions.
If convicted of the second-degree felonies, Draper could be sentenced to one to 15 years in prison. The third-degree felonies carry a possible punishment of up to five years in prison.
E-MAIL: jimr@desnews.com