Former Jamestown teacher sentenced to 60 days for luring minor

A former Jamestown Public Schools instructor received 60 days in jail Monday in Southeast District Court after pleading guilty to luring a minor by computer or electronic means.

Richard Laqua, 54, changed his not guilty plea, which he entered in January. As part of the plea agreement, the charge of sexual assault was dropped. Both are Class C felonies.

Laqua was accused of sending a 17-year-old girl sexually explicit text messages with some as invitations to enter into sexual acts on Nov. 7-8, 2011.

“What I did was wrong,” Laqua told the court. “I want to apologize to everybody, my family and this court.”

Laqua was sentenced to one year in the Stutsman County Correctional Center with all but 60 days suspended.

He must also register as a sex offender for 15 years and serve five years supervised probation.

“Five years probation and 60 days jail time for a guy with no prior convictions we feel is a pretty good sentence,” said Troy LeFevre, Stutsman County assistant state’s attorney after the hearing.

Sun reporter Ben Rodgers can be reached at 701-952-8455 or by email at brodgers@jamestownsun.com

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