Two self-claimed "sexual deviants" arrested for allegedly seducing teenage boys
Two women, a student teacher and her best friend, were arrested last Thursday for allegedly seducing several teenage boys of a local high school with the promise of engaging in sex later, reports Mercury News. The accused, who reportedly described themselves as "sexual deviants" during the investigation, were identified as Talia Sisco, 24, and Tina Pourani, 23. The duo was held by the Santa Clara County Sheriffs, California, after allegations came out that they slept with a group of school boys aged 15 and 16. Age of consent in California is 18-years-old.
The authorities believe that there may be more male victims, who were involved with these two women, and requested them to come forward. Sheriff Laurie Smith said: "If there are other victims still out there, please come forward."
Talia (the studen teacher) is currently being held without bail on charges that include unlawful sex with a minor and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Her best friend Pourani is also faing the similar charges, however, she has been released after posting a bail of $60,000, Mercury News reported.
During the initial investigation, it was found that the victims and the accused were known to each other through family or friends; however, none of the victims attended Bernal Middle school, where Talia worked worked as a teacher. Mercury News heard from the sheriff's office that they got a tip off in April about "a series of alleged sexual relationships between these suspects and several boys attending a local high school".
The authorities spoke to the alleged victims and have "collected extensive evidence of a graphic sexual nature". The report from the sheriff's office included a reference, where at least one of the suspects has described herself as a "sexual deviant".
Talia was the first one to have grabbed the attenton of authorities. The Oak Grove Schools District banned her from the training placement, she was in the middle of, after the investigation was started on her nefarious activities on the side.
Teacher-student sexual relationships are becoming quite common in the country.
Case in point: On June 14 this year, a 33-year-old school counselor was arrested after she was allegedly found naked with a 17-year-old student of hers in bed by the shocked mother of the teen. After the news came out, Shannon Hathway, was put on administrative leave from the school where she worked.
She went to the authorities on the same day and confessed what she had done after they had issued a warrant for her arrest. She was seen similing in her police mugshot.
The duo allegedly began their illicit relationship when the teen was still a student at the Harwood Junior High School.
He was 17-years-old and in the 9th grade at the school between 2016 and 2017, the Forth Worth Star-Telegram reported. Meanwhile, Shannon is married to 34-year-old Joe Hathaway, who is a wrestling coach.
However, after this exposure, it is not sure whether the two have decided to remain in their marriage. Public records, for now, do not mention any divorce plea. The school where Hathaway had worked earlier, eager to distance itself from the school counselor's actions, has sent numerous notices to the parents of the children studying there saying that she had been fired because she had breached school policy.
The principal of the school, even, sent out a voicemail to all parents after the disgraced teacher was arrested, clearing that the illicit affair with the student in question did not happen on school grounds.
Steve Chapman, the Superintendent of the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District, told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: "There is no evidence to suggest the alleged behavior happened on the Harwood Junior High campus."
A day after Shannon's arrest, Bedford Police revealed in their statement that the school counselor was involved in sexual activity with the student on multiple occasions, including the previous school year, when the student was just 17. They had sexual encounters at both her home in Keller as well as the boy's home in Euless, where they were ultimately caught by the mother.
School officials found out about the sexual misconduct allegation in May when the teen's sister revealed the details of the relationship. In her statement to the police, she said that the disgraced school counselor convinced her brother to believe that she was in love with him. She further told them that Shannon had confessed to her on a separate occasion that she was planning to leave her husband for the teen.
When the school management found out about the misconduct claims, they put her on paid leave. Shannon resigned as the school counselor shortly after that.