Probation granted teacher who had sex with students

Bill Gang

Tuesday, Jan. 12, 1999 | 10:46 a.m.

Before sentencing him to probation, District Judge Kathy Hardcastle chastised former Bishop Gorman High School teacher Jack David Patton as an immature man for having sexual relations with two students.

Prosecution and defense attorneys agreed that Patton, 28, has thrown away his career through the actions that constitute a felony under a new Nevada law.

Patton, in fact, is the first teacher prosecuted in Clark County with the statute that went into effect in October 1997.

He apologized to his victims, their families and the high school for what he conceded was his mistake although the relationships were consensual and would not have been a crime if committed before the new law.

"An example was wanted to be set of me," Patton said, telling the judge that the charge pushed him to consider suicide.

"Your actions showed a lot of immaturity," Hardcastle said, adding that she believes Patton deserved to lose his career.

In fact, as a requirement of the probation that could last five years, he is precluded from teaching or having unsupervised contact with minors.

Deputy District Attorney Vickie Monroe said Patton "has a problem, he likes young girls."

"Girls are vulnerable to someone saying 'I love you, you mean so much to me,' " Monroe said.

Although Patton could have been sent to prison for one to five years, Monroe said society would be better served by having him on probation where he could be supervised rather than have him serve out a prison stay and be free.

Defense attorney Bill Terry agreed "this is not the type of case that warrants incarceration" and argued that a felony conviction and loss of career is punishment enough.

Patton originally was charged with 12 felony counts involving two students but pleaded guilty in November to a single count with the stipulation that the prosecutor would not oppose probation.

He had made that same plea bargain several months ago but backed out of it when it appeared he might be sent to prison.

The state Parole and Probation Department had recommended at that time that Patton serve at least a year behind bars for the incidents with two girls at homes in Henderson and Boulder City.