Former San Diego County ‘Teacher of the Year’ Jacqueline Ma has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for sexually abusing two elementary school students.
Ma, 36, admitted to two counts of forcible lewd acts with a child under 14 and one count of possessing explicit material involving a minor. Both victims were students at Lincoln Acres Elementary School, where Ma had been teaching fifth and sixth grades since 2013.
She was recognized as the Teacher of the Year in August 2022 but was arrested in March 2023 after the mother of a 12-year-old boy reported finding suggestive messages from Ma to her child using video game chat rooms.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, Ma groomed the boys by giving them gifts, food, special attention, and even completed homework for the children, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.
During the trial, Ma expressed remorse, saying she “disgraced the teaching profession,” and apologized for “ripping away their childhood.”
Authorities also claimed that years earlier, Ma had groomed another boy who was 11 at the time.
Neither of the victims nor their parents attended Friday’s sentencing. Ma concluded her statement by saying, “I just pray for extra protection and strength for all those affected.”
Ma will be required to serve the full 30-year sentence before becoming eligible for parole. In addition to prison time, she must pay fines and register as a sex offender.
