Teacher’s Aide Arraigned on Sex Charges

A Myers Middle School teacher’s aide - arrested Tuesday in Garden City…makes her first appearance in court.  She’s charged with sex offenses involving a child she allegedly met through her job.  Authorities say 28 year old Erika Simmons had been with Chatham County schools for a year…the alleged offense taking place about seven weeks ago.  Simmons faces three charges - child molestation, statutory rape and enticement of a child for indecent purposes.  Chief David Lyons of the Garden City Police Department says, “I think she was a cheerleading coach, he played football.  I think they were together and saw each other possibly at football games or practices - that would be my suspicion.“

When she walked into the Garden City courtroom today - in addition to t-v cameras - she found more than a dozen people there in the audience to support her…nearly half the audience.  It turns out her mother is a retired Chatham County Schools employee herself and Erika was born and raised right in Garden City.  It’s that connection to the community her attorney, Greg Crawford, hoped to show the judge before he set bond, “That was important so the judge knows the ties she has to this community and the kind of person that the people who know her know Erika to be.”

She’s accused of having an affair with a 15-year old football player that she met through her job at Myers Middle School.  She worked there as a paraprofessional and cheerleading coach.
Police say rumors started flying in December that the two had been together at her Garden City apartment mid-November.  Chief David Lyon says authorities questioned the 15 year old alleged victim, “Was able to get enough information from the student for us to get a warrant.  We obtained an arrest warrant and a search warrant on her residence - brought her to the station and she confessed to the activity.”  Her attorney says he’s not sure what they have, “Sometimes people say things because they’re frightened and sometimes people say things because they don’t know what else to say.  Sometimes people say things because they’re not gonna be allowed to leave until they say what the person asking the questions wants to hear.”  Captain Al Jelinski of Garden City Police says, “She’s entrusted as a paraprofessional to be around children - not to make a mistake like she made you know, as far as taking a child to her residence and having an affair with a child.”  An alleged mistake that’s turned her life and the lives of those who support her upside down.  Her attorney Greg Crawford says, “She’s mortified.  She’s depressed. She’ll be okay. This is rock bottom, it should get better from here…this isn’t the kind of publicity anyone wants, especially a young lady like Erika who’s never done anything wrong in her life.”

Authorities requested that the judge set a 10-thousand dollar bond on Wednesday.  Simmons’ attorney argued that her ties to the community and low risk of flight made that amount excessive.
The judge did set a 6-thousand dollar bond with stipulations that Simmons have no contact with the alleged victim or any state witness, and that she stay away from Myers middle school.
She’s due back in court on January 21st for a preliminary hearing