Ex-Clairemont teacher pleads not guilty to sex, drug charges
SIGNONSANDIEGO NEWS SERVICES
4:06 p.m. June 14, 2006
SAN DIEGO ? A former Clairemont High School teacher, who allegedly had a sexual relationship with one of her male students and gave him cocaine and alcohol, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to 15 charges.
Danielle Marie Walls, 27, faces up to 16 years in state prison if convicted, said Deputy District Attorney Dwayne Moring.
Superior Court Judge David Szumowski denied the prosecution's argument that additional charges in the case merited raising the defendant's bail from the amount she posted after her arrest ? $65,000 ?to $287,000.
The prosecutor said the 16-year-old victim was in the defendant's 10th grade history class in 2004. The teacher was an ?out-of-control cocaine fiend? at the time, Moring alleged.
The prosecutor said Walls carried on a sexual relationship with the victim for several months, during which time they had sexual intercourse 10 to 25 times.
Walls and the boy engaged in sex acts in at least four hotels between April 2004 and the end of that summer, Moring alleged.
?The defendant violated all legal, professional and ethical standards regarding the proper conduct between a minor and an adult,? the prosecutor told the judge.
Moring said the evidence in the case ? which he deemed significant ?includes hotel and credit card receipts, cell phone records, statements from the alleged victim and several other students and text messages that were sent during ?all hours of the day.?
The victim's family reported the alleged crimes to police, Moring said.
About three weeks ago, the boy's sister wore a ?wire? and recorded a conversation with Walls that was monitored by San Diego police officers, the prosecutor said.
During the May 25 conversation, the sister told Walls that it was going to cost at least $15,000 for her brother's rehabilitation, and the defendant offered some money toward that end, Moring told reporters outside court.
?There was no extortion,? the prosecutor said.
Szumowski refused to raise bail for the defendant, saying he hoped that money would be better spent ultimately going toward restitution to the alleged victim and his sister.
The judge ordered Walls to have no contact with the boy, his sister or anyone under 18.
Szumowski asked the prosecutor why it took so long to file charges in the case.
Moring said the District Attorney's Office filed charges shortly after the allegations against Walls came to light.
?It's not uncommon in these situations to have victims come forward years later,? the prosecutor said outside court.
Moring said Walls gave the alleged victim cocaine on one occasion and tried to give him more another time.
She is charged with five counts of oral copulation of a person under 18; six counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor more than three years younger; offering to furnish a controlled substance to a minor; furnishing a controlled substance to a minor; and two counts of furnishing alcohol to a minor.
Defense attorney Jan Ronis told the judge that Walls ? who is living with her parents ? has had no contact with the alleged victim in more than two years.
The defendant told the judge she had been working as a real estate agent after resigning her teaching post a year ago.
Szumowski ordered Walls to return to court July 26 for a readiness conference and Aug. 8 for a preliminary hearing.
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