By Conrad Dudderar
Senior Staff Writer
A former Yukon teacher charged with having sex with an underage student has waived her right to a jury trial and has agreed to enter a plea in the case.
Hunter Joanne Day, 23, faces one to 15 years for second-degree rape and up to 10 years and a maximum $10,000 fine for soliciting sexual conduct or communication with minor by use of technology.
Day was charged in November 2017 with the two felonies for crimes that allegedly occurred in Yukon. The victim, who was 16 when the alleged crimes occurred, was a student in Day’s chemistry class at Yukon High School.
The defendant waived her right to a jury trial at a Dec. 11 hearing before District Judge Paul Hesse. The trial was to begin Jan. 7, 2019.
Day is represented by Oklahoma City attorney Tommy Adler, who had no comment this week. Assistant District Attorney Charles Gass is prosecuting the case.
At the Dec. 11th hearing, Judge Hesse advised Day of her right to a jury trial and the consequences of waiving that right.
“The court accepted her waiver after finding her competent and finding that her waiver was knowingly and voluntarily made,” according to the court minute.
Judge Hesse continued the case until 9 a.m. Feb. 19 for the defendant to enter a plea.
Prosecutors charged Day after the victim’s parents contacted the Canadian County Sheriff’s Department to report their son was having an inappropriate sexual relationship with the woman.
Investigators determined Day and the underage boy had already had sexual intercourse and had made plans to have sex again at her home. This was the first time the sheriff’s office had arrested a teacher for having a sexual relationship with a student.
