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A Michigan teacher was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty to having sex with a 16-year-old student she was tutoring and recording the encounters, according to court records.
FOX 2 Detroit reported that 27-year-old Jocelyn Sanroman was sentenced to four to 15 years in prison in Oakland County Circuit Court after pleading guilty to third-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Sanroman was arrested and arraigned in June 2025 on the charge stemming from a sexual relationship in 2023.
At the time, Sanroman was a teacher at Oakside Prep Academy — a charter school in Waterford Township, about 30 miles outside downtown Detroit — when she had sex with the student she was tutoring.
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Jocelyn Sanroman photographed at Oakland County Jail in Michigan. (Oakland County Jail)
The judge presiding over the case said Sanroman recorded the sexual encounters with the teen at his home.
Sanroman told another teacher about the relationship, and that teacher contacted police, prompting an investigation.
Sanroman’s attorney said his client has unaddressed mental health issues, FOX 2 reported.
“She made a tremendous error of judgment here. A lot of it has to do with her own mental health issues,” the defense attorney 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.”
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Exterior view of Oakside Prep Academy in Waterford Township, Mich., where former teacher Jocelyn Sanroman worked. (Google Maps)
The judge asked Sanroman what she was thinking.
“Not my best thinking,” she replied.
“This is serious risk taking behavior, taking advantage of a minor and videotaping,” the judge said. “You’re having sex with a minor at his home, right? And it’s just disgusting.”
During the proceeding, the prosecutor read a victim impact statement from the boy’s mother, who said the lives of her son and 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 letter read. “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 He has become withdrawn and avoids people because of the fear and attention the situation has created.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.
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The judge presiding over the case said Sanroman recorded the sexual encounters with the teen at his home. (iStock)
“His normal life, his education, his routine and his sense of security was taken,” she continued. “This has left me with constant fear and anxiety, not just for him, but for other children as well.”
As part of the plea, Sanroman will be required to register as a sex offender for life.
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At the time of her arraignment last year, Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said Sanroman was “accused of using her position of authority to exploit a minor victim.”
“As a former teacher myself, I applaud the teacher who contacted police about this situation, protecting other students from further exploitation,” McDonald said.
McDonald noted that while a 16-year-old can legally consent, that does not apply in cases involving a teacher.
“It’s because we need to make school the safest place it can be for kids, right? Safe from gun violence, safe from assault, safe from sexual assault,” she said. “School is supposed to be some place where your kids feel safe.”
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School officials previously said they acted immediately after learning of the allegations, emphasizing that student safety is their top priority.
Oakside Prep Academy is part of the National Heritage Academies system, which promotes “Moral Focus” lessons aimed at teaching students the difference between right and wrong, according to its website.
Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion contributed to this report.