Former Youth Worker Pleads Out in a Gun and Underaged Sex Case

A former high school truancy worker in Racine has struck a plea bargain in a case that involved a 17 year-old boy whom she had sex with and bought a gun for. 

In court Tuesday, 22 year-old Amanda Eckblad pleaded no contest to charges of child abuse and making a straw purchase. In exchange, a charge of possession of child pornography was dismissed. 

The state will recommend a three-year prison sentence. 

The judge in the case is not bound to follow the agreement. Eckblad could receive over 13 years in prison. 

According to the criminal complaint, Eckblad had lived with the boy and had video-recorded the two having sex--hence the porn charge. The gun charge came about as police were investigating a shots-fired incident that involved the boy and a gun that had been purchased by Eckblad.  

Online records and media reports indicate Eckblad, a UW-Parkside graduate, had worked in the truancy abatement program at Case High School. 

Sentencing was scheduled for Oct. 29th. 

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