Court records show that a former Green Forest teacher who had an inappropriate relationship with a former student has been sentenced after entering a plea deal.
Dustin Lee, 46, admitted that he contributed to a minor’s crime and put the minor’s safety at risk. He was put on probation for a year and told to pay $1,190 in fines.
For more information, see a news statement from Green Forest Police Chief John Bailey. Lee was arrested at his mother’s house in Van Buren on January 9, 2023, and taken to the Carroll County Jail on January 11.
There was a probable cause affidavit that said the superintendent of the district called a school security officer from the Green Forest Police Department and asked to meet with him. The SRO talked to the superintendent about Lee being rude in a message.
The student was asked about the texts on January 6, 2023, and she said that Lee did send them.
She said Lee texted her and asked her to leave class so they could meet in his. He told the student about his sex life and sent at least one naked picture. He also offered to take the student to dinner.
When asked if Lee ever touched her, she said that he would lean on her and rest his hand on her chest from time to time.
A detective talked to Lee on January 7, 2023. Lee admitted that he had messaged the student, but he denied sending the texts that he was accused of sending as reported by KARK News.
Lee said that he took a drug that has effects that are similar to Ambien and that he often forgot what he did. He also said that he didn’t send the kid a picture of himself naked.
During the interview, Lee allegedly picked up his phone and said he would show the police the messages. He then put the phone down and said it was about to die. Lee grabbed the phone and yelled, “You’re not taking my f***ing phone!” when the officer told him they were going to take it.
According to the affidavit, the officer got the phone in the end.
In exchange for his guilty plea, Lee agreed not to talk to the student in question, to commit no minor crimes, and to stay away from any Arkansas school that teaches kids from kindergarten to 12th grade.