Attorneys: Ex-UNLV athlete to make plea deal in sex case

By Matt Pordum

Thursday, Aug. 19, 2004 | 9:23 a.m.

A former University of Nevada, Las Vegas basketball player accused of having had sex with female students while working as a substitute high school teacher plans to plead guilty, attorneys said Wednesday.

Cornelius Ausborne, 29, who was a substitute at Grant Sawyer Middle School, will plead guilty to one count each of lewdness with a minor under 14 and sexual conduct between a school employee and a pupil. He will enter his plea before District Court Judge Sally Loehrer on Sept. 1.

Deputy District Attorney Lisa Luzaich Rego said the count of lewdness carries a maximum sentence of 10 years to life in prison and the sexual conduct charge carries a maximum of one to six years in prison.

Ausborne had been a substitute teacher at the middle school for two months. Authorities say they began their investigation earlier this month after hearing reports that a teacher was having sex with students. Ausborne was fired after school administrators were informed of the charges.

Luzaich Rego said Ausborne first denied doing anything wrong in either case, but later admitted to all the charges against him, admitting to having sex with a 13-year-old at her home and to fondling a 14-year-old girl in his classroom.

Ausborne's attorney, Stephen Stein, said he would seek probation for for both offenses.

Stein said Ausborne has been "doing fine" living in Texas with his family and only coming back to Las Vegas to go to court.

"For someone under the pressure he's dealing with he's doing really well," Stein said. "I attribute a great deal of it to his family. Never in my 38 years of practicing law have I seen such unwavering family support for a client."