Former school counselor faces sex charges

Lori A. Layher, 35, of Moundville, a former Bronaugh High School counselor, has been charged by a special prosecutor with six felony counts that accuse her of having sexual relations with two male students who were both juveniles at the time.

The charges were filed on Nov. 3 in the Vernon County Circuit Court.

Layher faces four felony counts of sexual contact with a student on public school property, one count of second-degree statutory rape and a single count of second-degree statutory sodomy.

A warrant for Layher's arrest was issued after Julie Tolle, an assistant state attorney general, filed the charges. The special prosecutor assigned from the attorney general's office took over prosecution of the case after recusal of the Vernon County prosecutor, Lynn M. Ewing III.

Ewing's office sought a special prosecutor for the case because an employee of the local probation office is a relative of the suspect and that posed a potential conflict of interest.

Layher was taken into custody on Monday, Nov. 7, and booked into the Vernon County Jail. She posted $100,000 bond and was released. Her arraignment is scheduled for Nov. 21 in the Vernon County Circuit Court.

This case has been under investigation for some time. It first came to light about 18 months ago when allegations were made. A considerable period of time was spent investigating cell phones for evidence of the alleged crimes. The charges were finally filed after a Vernon County deputy's lengthy interviews with both victims.

Court documents allege that the offenses occurred between Dec. 1, 2009, and March 31, 2010. Some may have been as early as December 2008. A probable cause affidavit written by a deputy accuses the defendant of sexual contact with the boys, both under age 17 at the time, on school property and at other locations. Four of the charges allege sexual contact with the victims in Layher's office at Bronaugh High School.

The probable cause statement filed by a Vernon County deputy states that one victim told the deputy that Layher asked for his cell phone number in the fall of 2009. The boy gave her the number and the next Friday, he said he received a text message from Layher asking him to meet her at Bushwhacker Lake in southwestern Vernon County.

The boy claimed the two met at the public recreation area just a short distance from Bronaugh, and according to the court documents, had sex in a parking lot at the lake. The boy also told the deputy that he and Layher had both oral and conventional sex in her home, and he claims she performed oral sex on him in her office at the school several times over a period of several months.

The other boy alleges sexual relations with Layher as early as Dec. 31, 2008, when she allegedly approached him in a bathroom of her home. The probable cause statement states she pushed him back into the bathroom and closed the door behind her. While they were kissing, the sound of a a slamming door in the house caused Layher to stop. The boy also told the deputy and a child abuse investigator that he and Layher had sex multiple and that he always used a condom.

The alleged sexual activity took place in many locations. The victim said he would tell others that he was going fishing and meet her at Bushwhacker Lake where many of the alleged incidents took place. The court documents Layher sent the victim text messages in which she would "talk dirty," and that she sent him picture messages showing her breasts and genitals.

If convicted of a class C felony, Layher could be sentenced to 1-7 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections or up to one year in the county jail and or a fine of up to $5,000 on each count. Conviction of a class D felony is punishable by 1-4 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections or up to one year in the county jail and or a fine of up to $5,000.