Heather Hare, 33, of Conway, was sentenced to serve the next 13 years in federal prison for transporting a minor across state lines for the purpose of unlawful sexual activity. Hare was sentenced on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, by United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky.
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The investigation into Hare revealed that she taught Family Consumer Science classes at Bryant High School and met the minor victim on their first day of senior year. Hare began one-on-one counseling sessions with the minor victim, eventually giving them her personal phone number and primarily communicating with them through Instagram and Snapchat.
Hare later told the minor victim that she had a dream of them having sex and gave the victim her home address in Conway. The minor victim and Hare engaged in sexual activity between 20 to 30 times throughout the 2021-2022 school term, including multiple times at her Conway residence, in her vehicle, and in her classroom and parking lots at Bryant High School.
Between April 21 and April 24, 2022, Hare was the sponsor and chaperone for a field trip to Washington, D.C., as part of an extracurricular activity related to the Family Consumer Science courses Hare taught. During the field trip, Hare and the minor victim engaged in the unlawful sexual activity to which she pleaded guilty.
Hare was indicted on August 1, 2023, and charged with one count of interstate/foreign travel for prostitution/sexual activity by coercion and one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. In exchange for her guilty plea, the remaining charge was dismissed.
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Judge Rudofsky also sentenced Hare to serve a lifetime of supervised release. Hare faced a maximum sentence of not less than 10 years imprisonment and up to life imprisonment, and not less than five years of supervised release for transportation of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity.
“Teachers who have sex with their minor students should take note of today’s sentence for Ms. Hare which reflects the consequences of abusing her position of trust and taking advantage of the vulnerability of this minor to repeatedly engage in unlawful sexual activity,” Ross said. “Our office will continue to hold accountable those who are in a position of trust that target children and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law, as evidenced by Judge Rudofsky sentencing Ms. Hare to 13 years in federal prison.”
“The FBI takes crimes against children very seriously,” said Special Agent in Charge Alicia D. Corder, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Little Rock Field Office. “Today’s sentencing shows that the federal government will continuously work to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals who abuse their position of trust and authority to exploit children in our community.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Saline County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bryant Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Bryant.
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UPDATE JAN 23, 2024
A former Bryant High School teacher pleaded on Monday guilty to transporting a minor across state lines for the purpose of unlawful sexual activity, according to Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas. Heather Hare, 33, of Conway, entered this guilty plea on January 22, 2024 before United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky.
Judge Rudofsky will sentence Hare at a later date. Transportation of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity is punishable by not less than 10 years imprisonment and up to life imprisonment, and not less than five years of supervised release.
The investigation into Hare revealed that Hare taught Family Consumer Science classes at Bryant High School and met the minor victim on his first day of his senior year. Hare began one-on-one counseling sessions with the minor victim, eventually giving him her personal phone number and primarily communicating with him through Instagram and Snapchat.
MORE DETAILS BELOW
Hare later told the minor victim that she had a dream of them having sex and gave him her home address in Conway. The minor victim and Hare had sex approximately 20 to 30 times throughout the 2021-2022 school term, including multiple times at her Conway residence, in her vehicle, and in her classroom and parking lots at Bryant High School.
Between April 21 and April 24, 2022, Hare was the sponsor and chaperone for a field trip to Washington, D.C., as part of an extracurricular activity related to the Family Consumer Science courses Hare taught. During the field trip, which included four students, of which the minor victim was the only male student, Hare and the minor victim engaged in the unlawful sexual activity to which she pleaded guilty.
“This former teacher took advantage of her position of trust and the vulnerability of a minor, using her role to entice and lure this minor into engaging in unlawful sexual activity,” Ross said. “Our office will continue to seek significant penalties against any educational professional who sexually abuse their students.”
MORE DETAILS BELOW
Hare was indicted on August 1, 2023, and charged with one count of interstate/foreign travel for prostitution/sexual activity by coercion and one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. In exchange for her guilty plea, the remaining charge was dismissed.
The case was investigated by the FBI and Saline County Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Bryant.
UPDATE AUGUST 11, 2023
A former teacher will stay in custody after appearing before a federal grand jury Thursday, August 10, 2023, related to charges of inappropriate relationship with a student.
Heather Danielle Hare was teaching at Bryant High School but was dismissed immediately when allegations turned up about once student. Another student has since come forward.
Hare, age 33, has moved residence to Conway, but has been in custody. She will stay in custody at least until a bond hearing, on orders of US Magistrate Judge Beth Deere.
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Hare was indicted on one count of Coercion and Transportation of a Minor to Engage in Illegal Sexual Activity. She turned herself in at the Bryant Police Department in April. According to a statement by Bryant School District, they were made aware of the allegations on March 30th, 2023.
UPDATE JULY 25, 2023
The City of Bryant Police Department has once again arrested former teacher Heather Hare in relation to sexual misconduct with a student while she was a teacher at Bryant High School.
She turned herself in to authorities back in April of this year on a charge of Sexual Assault in the 1st Degree for an alleged inappropriate relationship with a student. Since that arrest, a different student has come forward with allegations. That led to investigators to seek additional charges of Sexual Assault in the 1st Degree.
Hare is being held without bond at the Saline County Detention Center. Her file shows a current residence of Conway, Arkansas. Read the previous article below.
ORIGINAL APRIL 5, 2023, UPDATED APRIL 14, 2023
The Bryant Police Department recently conducted an investigation into the allegations regarding a Bryant High School teacher involved in sexual misconduct with a student. With the information obtained, detectives were able to secure a warrant for 32-year-old Heather Hare on Felony charges of Sexual Assault in the 1st Degree.
Heather Hare surrendered herself to the Saline County Detention Center on April 14, 2023, where she will be arraigned and a bond set. If anyone has any further information regarding this case, please contact the Bryant Police Department Criminal Investigation Division at 501-943-0943.
PREVIOUSLY
Bryant Public Schools issued a statement on April 5, 2023, noting that they have been made aware of an allegation of inappropriate conduct by a Bryant High School teacher.
According to the statement on the school website, “The teacher is no longer employed by the Bryant School District.”
It continues, “BPS takes all reports of employee misconduct very seriously. On Thursday, March 30, district administration learned of the allegations involving the teacher. The allegations were immediately investigated and appropriate agencies, including law enforcement, were notified. As those agencies continue their investigations, many facts remain unknown.”
And finally the statement says, “While we will continue to cooperate with all appropriate agencies, we are unable to provide further comment at this time. Our expectation is for all students to be safe and supported. Parents and students should always notify administration immediately with any information concerning the health and safety of students.”
The statement did not go into any detail about what sort of inappropriate behavior was reported. However, there Arkansas Justice Project picked up Mark Cannon’s Facebook post stating that the teacher was possibly in a relationship with a male student.
Watch MySaline.com for updates.