Alley Bardfield, 34, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after she pleaded guilty to predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and admitted that she lured the sixth grader to her home for ‘play dates’
A former substitute teacher who sexually assaulted an 11 year old boy has been sentenced to a decade in prison.
Alley Bardfield, who worked as a stand-in at Decatur Public Schools in Illinois, was arrested in April 2024 at her home in Mt. Zion after the young student aided police in a sting operation.
The 34 year old mum-of-three pleaded guilty to predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and confessed that she enticed the sixth grader to her home for “play dates” before raping him. The incident came to light when the boy’s mum noticed that he was “acting differently” following a sleepover at the teacher’s house from 29 March through 30 March. The story emerged after a ‘Superteacher’ was jailed for sexually abusing and raping child.
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Upon checking his mobile phone, the mother discovered text messages between her son and Bardfield, along with photos of them together. The teacher had also sent her son about £700 over several months, reports the Mirror US.
‘[She] confronted her child about this situation and the child disclosed he had unprotected sexual intercourse with Alley Bardfield on the night of 29 March,’ an arrest affidavit by Mt Zion Police read.
The lad was taken to HSHS St John’s Hospital, where staff administered a rape kit.
The boy told police that Barfield took him to her bedroom, where they kissed and she removed both of their clothes. The lad was then sexually assaulted.
It remains a mystery why the lad was staying at his teacher’s house while her family was away.
Police hatched a plan with the boy and his mum to get Bardfield to incriminate herself through text messages and recorded calls with the boy.
As part of the plot, the boy messaged the teacher saying he was going away, but hoped to see her again when he returned.
‘I love you and I miss you, Alley. When I come back, I’ll see if I can come over,’ he penned.
Bardfield allegedly responded: ‘You’re always welcome. I love and miss you too.’
Police also secured a court order for a wiretap and had the boy ring the teacher later that day, during which she told him ‘her tubes are tied and that she cannot get pregnant’.
‘The victim asked Alley if he came over this weekend… if they could “do it again”. Alley responded “Yes”,’ the affidavit read on.
Bardfield was arrested at her home hours later. Bodycam footage showed her looking shocked as police turned up at her door and took her into custody.
She then reportedly confessed to the crime, but claimed the boy had ‘made sexual advances toward her.’
The teacher also paid the boy via CashApp in exchange for naked photos, according to the police.
Decatur Public Schools sacked Bardfield shortly after the allegations came to light, and she pleaded guilty as part of a deal 16 months later.
She was ultimately handed a 10-year prison sentence, with credit for time already served in custody – about 18 months – and half credit for time she has spent in Macon County Jail, roughly another 10 months.
The judge expressed his belief that the defendant, who wept throughout the proceedings and apologised, had potential for rehabilitation.
However, this decision sparked outrage among the child’s family, who promptly exited the courtroom following the sentencing.
Macon County State’s Attorney Diane Couri also ‘wholeheartedly’ backed her recommendation for a 40-year prison term.
‘The Macon County State’s Attorneys Office takes crimes against children very seriously and, as such, recommended a sentence appropriate to the offence,’ she stated.
‘A victim of sex offences carries the burden of the trauma for the rest of their lives,’ Couri continued. ‘As the defendant was in a position of trust as a substitute teacher, the level of egregiousness of this offence requires a substantial sentence.’
She concluded by pledging that her office will ‘continue to seek just sentences in cases where the victims are the most vulnerable.’