Chicago-area teacher in sex-abuse case

PARK RIDGE, Ill., May 26 (UPI) -- A Chicago-area teacher, admitting to a relationship with a 16-year-old ex-student, was charged Tuesday with aggravated sexual abuse, police say.

The Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Jennifer Espinoza, 38, of Park Ridge, Ill., and a Maine East High School teacher had an 8-month sexual relationship with the male student, who had been expelled in September. Espinoza had been the boy's teacher and mentor, the reports said.

Espinoza was charged in Skokie's bond court, said Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart. She was held in lieu of $50,000 bail.

Espinoza, a science and special education teacher, was apprehended Saturday evening when the odor of marijuana caused sheriff's police to pull over her car, officials said. The youth was in the car, as well as 22-year-old Alejandro Landi of Niles, who was charged with misdemeanor drug possession when a bag of marijuana was found, police said. Police identified the two males as gang members.

A married mother of two daughters, Espinoza told police she loves the boy.

Espinoza will be reassigned out of her classroom pending investigation of the matter, said District 207 Superintendent Joel Morris.