CHULA VISTA, Calif. — Jacqueline Ma, the 34-year-old South Bay teacher accused of sexual misconduct with a former student, pleaded not guilty while appearing over video in court Monday at the Superior Court South County Division in Chula Vista.
Ma is facing 15 felony counts of sexual misconduct with a minor under 14 years old, including lewd and lascivious acts.
“This defendant was obsessive, possessive, controlling, and dangerous,” said Drew Hart, Deputy District Attorney for the County of San Diego.
Jacquie Ma was first arrested on March 7 after a parent suspected her 13-year-old child of having an inappropriate relationship with her. She bailed out, but National City Police arrested her again the following day on additional felony counts of sexual misconduct, a witness intimidation charge, and multiple counts related to child pornography.
“When she was arrested, she had a photograph of the victim in her wallet, she had jewelry with his initials, and love letters were discovered in her classroom directed at the child,” said Hart.
Ma is being held at the Las Colinas Women’s Detention Facility on no bail, something her attorney challenged in court.
“She owns and lives in Chula Vista,” argued defense attorney, Mario Vela. “She’s been living there since 2016 when she purchased her first home with her husband, so a flight risk? There is no flight risk whatsoever.”
Arguing for no bail, Hart described the inappropriate relationship between Ma and the then 12-year-old child, which allegedly began in late December.
“This defendant maintained a relationship with this child for months, maybe even more than a year, when she began grooming him, giving him gifts, helping him with school, and praising him,” said Hart.
Ma allegedly used a special messaging application, which did not track prior messages, to contact the victim.
“Over time, the communications became sexual in nature. When the victim tried to dismiss these communications and put them off, she persisted even more,” said Hart. “At one point when the child was 12 years old, she got him in a position where he was alone in her classroom and started making advances. This victim did not know what to do and reported that it felt surreal.”
According to the prosecutor, the communications continued when the victim was no longer a student of hers.
“In these messages, the defendant was persistent in sending illicit photographs of herself to the victim and then soliciting the victim to do the same,” said Hart. “She would persistently direct him to engage in sex acts while he was at home and to video record them.”
The judge denied bail and any pretrial release for Ma, citing flight risk and danger to the public and the victim. If convicted on all charges, Ma could face 29 years in state prison. She is set to appear in court on March 16 for a bail review hearing.