A teacher wrote nine sexually explicit love letters to a 13-year-old student saying she loved him and dreamed about him. Which crime best describes this conduct?

• A. Annoying or Molesting Children
• B. Sexual Assault of a Minor
• C. Indecent Exposure
• D. Child Pornography Possession

Answer: (A)

Sexual communications with a minor by someone in a position of trust is treated as molesting a child. In this scenario, a teacher sent nine explicit letters to a 13-year-old student, expressing sexual affection. That explicit, sexualized content directed at a minor involves lewd conduct toward a child even without any physical act, so it fits the offense that covers molesting or annoying a child. The key idea is that the behavior is sexual in nature and aimed at a minor, and the adult’s role as a teacher adds a breach of trust and greater culpability.

This isn’t the best fit for sexual assault of a minor because there’s no evidence of physical sexual contact or coercion. It isn’t indecent exposure, which involves exposing oneself publicly. It isn’t child pornography possession, which would require possession of explicit sexual material involving a minor, not just communications.