Who is Lisa DeFluri? Oregon teacher, 31, gets 7 years prison for having oral sex with underage female student
LANE, OREGON: Lisa DeFluri, 31, a teacher, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for performing oral sex with an underage female student, repeatedly. The age of the victim is not known, but as per the laws in Oregon, the age of consent is 18 years.
DeFluri pleaded guilty to 11 counts of second-degree sexual abuse, which resulted in a seven-year prison term, following which she will be supervised. She is also required to register as a sex offender for life.
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Who is Lisa Marie DeFluri?
DeFluri was a teacher and the head coach of the girl's basketball team at Thurston High School. She attended Western Washington University. She and her ex-husband, Steve Twomey made headlines in 2015 when they got married at the Rose Bowl Stadium, during the College Football Playoff semifinals.
Twomey is also an English teacher in the same district, however, as reported by the Daily Mail, there is no mention of if he was involved in the crimes. The couple has a three-year-old son together.
DeFluri was accused of engaging in oral sex with an underage female student on multiple occasions in July and December of 2020 and was arrested for the same. She was arrested again, last month, seeing that she was meeting the victim in secret and contacting her via phone. By contacting the victim, DeFluri violated the conditions of her pre-trial release.
According to KEZI, prosecutors argued that she should be sentenced to 10 years in jail, to ensure that she does not contact the victim again. Prosecutor of the state, Katherine Green mentioned that on account of her having violated the condition of her release, a stricter sentence should be served by the accused.
DeFluri's attorney, Anna Sammons, countered with a two-year sentence instead and even had a psychological expert testify that DeFlur was at low risk of reoffending. “Similar cases all over Oregon have all resolved with either probationary sentences or prison terms totaling four years or less,” Sammons said. Judge Charles Carlson settled on a seven-year sentence and post-prison supervision.
Springfield Police Detective Jamie McMahon said DeFluri and the victim’s relationship was 'obsessive.' She claimed to have found love letters, notes and photos of the two at the victim's home and DeFluri’s classroom. "It was basically hiding in plain sight," she said. "There were notes everywhere. They weren’t hard to find…It was everywhere."
The victim's mother said DeFluri was 'unstable' and 'sick,' seeing that she believes DeFluri was grooming her daughter. "Being a family friend…we trusted Lisa and she made sure we trusted her. And little by little she went deeper into our lives," she said. "At 11 to 12 years old, Lisa had set eyes on our child and family and the grooming began then."
DeFluri made a statement prior to the sentencing. "I know I cannot adequately apologize for the harm I have caused and the words ‘I’m sorry’ - they don’t cut it," she said. "The words ‘I’m sorry’ do not undo the damage I’ve done to (the victim) and (the) entire family or the suffering that I have inflicted on my own son."
DeFluri has the option to appeal the sentence within 30 days.