Crying openly in court and vowing “it will never happen again,” a former lunch room cook who had a sexual relationship with an underage male student at Emmett O’Brien Technical High School was sentenced Monday to accelerated rehabilitation, a special form of probation.
If Debra Anne Lasasso doesn’t get into trouble for the next two years, two charges of fourth-degree sexual assault will be cleared from her record.
She had originally been charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault.
Lasasso was arrested in December 2009. The crimes happened twice — on Aug. 29, 2009 and Sept. 1, 2009.
The victim, now a college student studying to be a chef, spoke in court in New Haven, urging Judge William Holden to give Lasasso probation.
The victim’s mother also supported Lasasso’s application, saying she was a good person.
However, the victim’s father opposed probation, saying the affair had damaged his relationship with his son.
Lasasso took responsibility for her actions, which resulted in her losing her job at Emmett O’Brien Technical High School in Ansonia.
“I know what I did was wrong,” she said in court Monday.
Prosecutor Joseph Danielowski did not oppose probation. He pointed out the victim initiated the affair. A New Haven Register article last year reported that the victim did not want Lasasso arrested and that police were called after the school’s principal learned about what happened.
The two met while both were working at a country club in Orange. The affair continued while Lasasso worked at Emmett O’Brien, where the victim was a student. State law prohibits school employees of any kind from having sexual relationships with students.
Lasasso was 29 at the time of her arrest. The student was 17.
“Clearly, you are contrite,” Judge William Holden told her.
In addition to probation, Lasasso will have to perform 50 hours of community service. She is also prohibited from contacting the former student.
She declined to comment to the Valley Indy Monday, but her attorney said justice was done.
Lasasso is an Ansonia resident.
