Idlette Gets A Guilty Plea Diversion In Case Involving Baylor Coed

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Former Baylor School football star Willie Idlette Jr. has been granted guilty plea diversion in the case in which he was charged with having sex with an underage Baylor School coed.

Idlette, who appeared Tuesday before Criminal Court Judge Barry Steelman, had been charged with seven counts of statutory rape as an authority figure. That charge carries mandatory jail time.

His plea was to two counts of a reduced charge of statutory rape.

Idlette will be on unsupervised probation for five years. He could be required to serve a two-year sentence if he gets in further trouble.

However, if he does not get in any trouble for five years, he can have the case expunged, attorney Bryan Hoss said.

Under terms of the plea, he is not allowed to teach or coach those under age 18 for the five-year period.

He will not be on any sex offender list.

Prosecutor Leslie Longshore said in the fall of 2007, Baylor School officials began to hear rumors that the 23-year-old Idlette was having an affair with the 16-year-old student.

She said the student was questioned and confirmed they had consensual sex in the dorm room where he was living on the Baylor campus. He was serving as a teacher/coach at the time.

The prosecutor said items of potential evidence were sent to the state crime lab, but turned up negative.

The coed and her family filed a Circuit Court suit against Baylor and Idlette. The case was dismissed and a payment was made to the family. Attorney Hoss said Idlette did not contribute to the payment.

Idlette returned to Baylor after playing football for Wake Forest.

Attorney Hoss said, "We believe this was a good outcome for both sides given the facts of the case."

He said Idlette "is currently pursuing other opportunities out of state."


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