A woman who molested a teenage girl after giving her a pill was ordered yesterday to serve five years in prison.
Lena Ann Wright, 28, was convicted in Fredericksburg Circuit Court of four charges, including aggravated sexual battery and object sexual penetration.
Wright entered an Alford plea to the charges, meaning that, while she acknowledges that the evidence against her is sufficient, she does not admit guilt.
As part of a plea agreement, three other charges were dropped.
According to prosecutor LaBravia Jenkins, a teenage acquaintance of Wright's stopped by Wright's home on Washington Avenue in early September with two friends. Wright's teenage sister was also there.
Jenkins said Wright collected money from the girls, then used it to purchase alcohol for them. The girls spent the night at the home.
After one of the teens later complained of a headache, Wright gave her a pill, Jenkins said. The girl fell asleep in Wright's living room.
Sometime during the night, at least one of the teens saw Wright removing clothes from the passed-out teenager and performing a sex act on her.
The girl was told about the incident after she expressed concern to her friends about waking up naked.
Wright was arrested in December after the parents of the James Monroe High School student complained to police. The parents didn't learn about the allegations until several weeks had passed.
Police at the time said the James Monroe High School students had regularly walked to Wright's home after school.
Judge W. Shore Robertson, a retired Fauquier County judge, gave Wright a pep talk before sending her to prison. He told her that although her actions were "heinous and offensive," he saw a lot of good in her and urged her to make something positive out of the rest of her life.
Wright was also convicted of two misdemeanors, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and purchasing alcohol for minors.
She was sentenced to a total of 27 years in prison with all but five years suspended.
oh lena...(posted by
btrflykys
, July 15, 2008 9:37 am)
i have been a friend of lena's for about 15 years now and have been following her case as best as i could. i live a few hours away so its been kinda hard to do. lena is not a nutcase, she was going thru a very rough time in her life and i'm sure that her judgment was not the best at the time. i know that its no excuse for her behavior and i'm not saying was she did was ok but she is the farthest from being a predator. she is a good person who deeply loves her kids... she just made a very very bad choice.
Actually the defendant did not admit guilt(posted by
freedomfirst
, July 1, 2008 2:19 pm)
The Alford plea only means she agrees that there is enough evidence to convict here, while not admitting any culpability.
She might have been even better off by pleading guilty and showing lots of remorse, tears, sobbing etc
Off easy...(posted by
Kimberlina
, July 1, 2008 10:36 am)
I think most sex offenders are getting off easy!! There was a guy found guilty for molesting 2 of his daughter's friend and got 20 years with all but 5 suspended. A few years earlier he was accused of it and got off on a mistrial TWICE! They should all be locked up forever! Sick B*STARDS!!!
I too agree with Dharma41 and GOUSA.(posted by
LColeman
, July 1, 2008 9:48 am)
This is just sickening. Glad the friends told her what happened, but, WHY didn't the "Friends" do anything to try to stop it from happening. If I had witnessed that and knew my friend wouldn't appreciate it, I think I would have had to protect my friend, and myself. Did they not fear it would happen to them when they fell asleep?
You are correct Dharma41,(posted by
GOUSA
, July 1, 2008 9:31 am)
there is a distinct bias when judging perverts of different gender. I don't know what this woman looks like, but normally the better looking the female pervert, the easier is her sentence. Notice that judge Robertson "saw something good" in this nutcase, when she didn't even clearly admit to doing wrong (yes, technically the Alford plea is an admission, but to the pleader they always later deny guilt & she isn't asking for help). The story presents the case of a predator so why give this person a break.
