A judge on Tuesday ordered a countywide “Teacher of the Year” to face trial on charges of sex crimes involving two boys, each of whom were students at her National City elementary school.
The ruling followed a nearly daylong preliminary hearing in Chula Vista Superior Court for Jacqueline Ma, 35. The now former sixth-grade teacher at Lincoln Acres Elementary faces up to 165 years to life in prison if convicted of all charges.
“I think the evidence is overwhelmingly clear that the defendant took advantage of two children,” Superior Court Judge Maryann D’Addezio said.
D’Addezio said Ma used her authority over one of the boys in particular to “coerce him into behavior that he wasn’t ready for, for a relationship that was beyond inappropriate, beyond wrong.”
Ma had taught fifth and sixth grades in National School District since 2013. In August 2022, she was one of five teachers tapped as a San Diego County Teacher of the Year.
Ma was arrested in March after the parent of a 12-year-old boy contacted police to report the suspected relationship. Ma was charged with several felony counts, including lewd acts on a child, seduction of a minor and possession of child pornography.
The defense did not call any witnesses, not uncommon in a preliminary hearing.
Prosecutors alleged she had a months-long sexual relationship with the boy, sending him “illicit” photographs of herself and asking him to do the same, and also directing him to record himself engaged in sex acts at home.
The ensuing investigation revealed a second potential victim — a boy who was 11 years old when prosecutors say she was sending him sexually charges messages.
Only two people took the stand Tuesday — the first alleged victim referred to as John Doe 1 and the lead National City police investigator handling the case.
D’Addezio granted the prosecution request to allow the child to testify behind closed doors.
The public was allowed back roughly an hour and a half later for the testimony of police Detective Colleen Stanich.
Stanich testified John Doe 1 said his first physical contact with the teacher happened in her classroom, and he “froze” when she touched him inappropriately.
On the stand, Stanich read aloud text messages and other communications between the teacher and the student, during which they professed love for each other.
In one message, the child wrote: “Sometimes I think you don’t understand that I am a kid still and this is my only real relationship,” according to testimony from Stanich.
The detective said the investigation uncovered graphic messages and photographs.
Stanich said that when she initially confronted Ma about the case, the teacher said it was “complicated,” and that she “may have blurred the lines.”
After Ma’s arrest, detectives found evidence of a second alleged victim, also a former student at the elementary school a few years ago.
Stanich said that child, referred to as John Doe 2, told police about graphic texts and more from the teacher. The boy also reported that once when they were alone in the classroom, Ma removed her shirt — a sports bra was underneath — and moved in close, but the boy fled, scared.
Ma had faced up to 29 years in prison from the initial charges involving one child. The addition of a second alleged victim increased that to life in prison.
Her potential sentence grew stiffer after D’Addezio agreed Tuesday to allow the prosecution to bring even more serious charges under the legal theory that the children were in duress.
After her arrest in March, Ma posted a $100,000 bond and was released but was back in jail two days later, accused of trying communicate with the boy while out on bail. She has remained jailed without bail since then.
Ma is due back in court in January. No trial date has been set.
