A judge has denied the motion for a reduced sentence in the case of a former Polk County English teacher convicted of having sex with multiple students, according to the Polk State Attorney's office.

Judge denies reduced sentence for former Polk teacher convicted of having sex with students

Jennifer Fichter was sentenced to 22 years in prison

Fichter claimed the victims were willing participants, asked for a sentence reduction

Jennifer Fichter was sentenced to 22 years in prison last year, after she admitted to having sex with at least three students. She also admitted that she slept with one of them 20 to 30 times.

Fichter claimed that the victims were willing participants and that she needed to be out in order to seek appropriate treatment.

Dr. Richard Marshall even testified that men usually engage in sexual relationships with minors for predatory reasons, and that women usually engage in those relationships for emotional reasons.

However, State Prosecutor Ashley Krieger argued that Fichter is in fact a predator because the victims were teenage boys.

After hearing both sides, the judge denied the motion for a reduced sentence. Fichter will continue serving a 22-year sentence.