Ex-Waterford teacher sentenced to jail for sex crimes against minor she tutored

Waterford teacher sentenced for 'disgusting' sex crimes with minor she tutored

Jocelyn Sanroman, a teacher in Waterford, was sentenced to jail for criminal sexual conduct with a minor she was tutoring. The judge called the Pontiac woman disgusting at sentencing while the defense blamed her mental health. 

PONTIAC, Mich. (FOX 2) - A former Waterford teacher was sentenced to jail for ‘disgusting’ sex crimes with a teen student on Tuesday.

The backstory:

Jocelyn Sanroman was sentenced to four to 15 years in Oakland County Circuit Court after pleading guilty to third-degree criminal sexual conduct.

Sanroman, 27, worked as a teacher at Oakside Scholars Charter School in Waterford Township when she had sex with a former student she was tutoring.

According to the judge, the Pontiac woman recorded the sexual encounters with the 16-year-old at his home.

A colleague reported that Sanroman confessed the sexual misconduct to them. The colleague then reported Sanroman’s behavior to charter school officials, which led to a police investigation.

Her defense attorney said that Sanroman has mental health issues that she has not addressed.

"She made a tremendous error of judgment here. A lot of it has to do with her own mental health issues," he said. "She's going to have to undertake that on her own. She understands that, and she's working forward and trying to do her best to become a better person."

"What do you have to say? What were you thinking?" said the judge.

"Not my best thinking," said Sanroman.

Jocelyn Sanroman

The judge did not hold back.

"This is serious risk taking behavior, taking advantage of a minor and videotaping," she said. "You're having sex with a minor at his home, right? And it's just disgusting."

A victim impact statement was written by the mother of the victim, and read by the prosecutor, which said the lives of her son and that of her family have been changed forever.

 "I watched my son's name be publicly judged and criticized for circumstances involving a minor and an adult," the mother's letter said. "I have watched my son change. He has become withdrawn and avoids people because of the fear and attention the situation has created. I had pulled him out of school to place him into online schooling. 

"His normal life, his education, his routine and his sense of security was taken.  This has left me with constant fear and anxiety, not just for him, but for other children as well." 

As a result of her guilty plea, Sanroman will receive lifetime placement on the Michigan Sex Offender Registry.