WEST JORDAN » A former West Jordan school aide made her first court appearance Friday and her attorney said she "adamantly denies" allegations of sex acts with two teenagers.
Andrea L. Billingsley, 31, was shackled and wearing blue inmate scrubs during her arraignment at the state courthouse here. Her lawyer, Dean Zabriskie, told the judge that Billingsley may post a bond for her $200,000 bail and leave jail pending trial. Billingsley had not entered a plea.
Billingsley is charged with two counts of forcible sodomy and three counts of forcible sexual abuse. All are felonies. The first two counts are punishable by up to life in prison. Outside the courtroom after Friday's brief hearing, Zabriskie said Billingsley "adamantly denies" the allegations in the criminal charges.
"We're in the process of collecting statements and evidence," Zabriskie said as Billingsley's husband stood beside him.
Billingsley knows the boys, Zabriskie said. He did not elaborate.
The boys, ages 15 and 16, told police the sexual encounters occurred between Jan. 1 and July 30. The older boy told police he met Billingsley when West Jordan Middle School sent him to In School Suspension (ISS), where students with behavioral problems are separated from other students and supervised by an aide.
The 16-year-old said that during one ISS session, Billingsley sat next to him, put her hand down his pants and touched his penis, according to charging documents.
On another occasion, Billingsley took the 16-year-old and a 15-year-old boy to a West Jordan park, where she touched the penises of both boys with her hand and mouth, charges state.
Four people wearing the leather vests and patches from Bikers Against Child Abuse also attended Friday's hearing. Dennis Sortor, president of the group's Wasatch Front chapter, said they were there to support the two boys.
"She's in a position of trust and abused that," Sortor said.
Billingsley's next court appearance is Thursday.
