Teacher Accused of Sending Explicit Photos, Messages to Student Pleads Guilty to Lesser Charges

Rikki Laughlin was originally hit with felony charges of promoting obscenity in the first degree, furnishing pornographic material to a minor, attempted statutory rape in the second degree, tampering with a witness, possession of child pornography, and tampering with physical evidence back in October 2023.

However, last week, she pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child creating substantial rick - 1st degree - 1st offense - no sexual conduct.

Per KRCG, she was sentenced to five years probation.

An investigation was launched into Laughlin's alleged behavior with a teen student back in 2023, following a tip about an inappropriate relationship at her school, per KSDK. Laughlin was reportedly a special education teacher for high school juniors.

According to a probable cause affidavit, the student told a deputy with the Maines County Sheriff's Office that Laughlin reached out to him via Snapchat, before things "progressed fast" and she allegedly began sending him nude photos and videos of herself.

In one video, she reportedly used a sex toy.

The teen claimed she requested he send nudes in return, which he said he did twice. The victim said she also invited him to her home to have sex while her husband was out of town, but he "made excuses for not meeting with Laughlin because he did not feel comfortable," per the deputy.

The teen told authorities Laughlin later told him to delete the photos and videos, allegedly concerned she could go to jail.

When interviewed by the same deputy, per the docs, Laughlin at first denied there was any relationship between the pair -- before later admitting they were talking over Snapchat. She reportedly claimed she "was not aware he was a minor" until the day before she was interviewed by authorities.

A video found on her phone, meanwhile, was allegedly similar to the one described by the teen.