Richard John Racks, the San Clemente middle school math teacher convicted in August of sex crimes with three teen girls, was sentenced today to eight years in state prison.
In exchange for Rack's guilty plea, Orange County Superior Court Judge Sheila Hanson had agreed to cap the 51-year-old's sentence at 10 years, with two years shaved off for time served in jail. Without the guilty plea, Rack was looking at up to 14 years.
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Richard John Rack, Guilty of Sex Crimes with Middle School Girls, Faces October Sentencing
Rack had been characterized by the defense as the Shorecliffs Middle School teacher students would go to with their personal problems. But he was convicted of sexually assaulting an 8th-grade female student sexually while alone with her on the San Clemente campus and of committing lewd acts against two other teen girl students.
He apologized to his victims in court today, reports City News Service's Paul Anderson, and Rack's attorney claimed the counseling his client has received while in custody “has opened his eyes.”
The defense attorney had previously indicated Rack pleaded guilty to spare some witnesses from having to testify, including former students and co-workers who planned on appearing as character witnesses.
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