A former elementary school counselor at the Cole County R-1 School District in Russellville pleaded guilty Friday to an amended charge in connection with an investigation into her having inappropriate behavior with a minor student.
Clairyssa Lorenz, 28, who also was a former assistant softball coach at the California R-1 School District, pleaded guilty to one count of felony sexual contact with a student in a hearing before Moniteau County Judge Matthew Hamner. She had been charged with second-degree statutory rape and sexual contact with a student.
She still faces one count of sexual contact with a student in Cooper County. This is the same student who was involved in the Moniteau County case. The Cooper County case is scheduled for a hearing later this month.
The male victim told Moniteau County sheriff's deputies in February Lorenz had sexual intercourse with him on multiple occasions in June and July 2017, when he was 16.
Cooper County authorities filed a charge after the teen said he and Lorenz had a sexual encounter at her home in Cooper County during the same time period.
The victim said Lorenz was fully aware of his age, according to the probable cause statement. Authorities said they discovered Lorenz and the victim had been communicating via cellphones numerous times during the period in which the victim said their relationship took place.