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Teacher sentenced to 8 years for molesting boy

by Ashton Goodell
Friday, November 20, 2009

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The Chugiak teacher charged with sexually abusing a student heard his fate Friday.

Jenson Eugene Seifert admitted to touching a 13-year old boy several times. Superior Court Judge Eric Aarseth sentenced Seifert to eight years for 14 counts of child abuse.

Seifert spend a lot of time with his students at Birchwood Christian School, and some even called him a friend. The victim's family didn't show up in court Friday, but his mother says he used his role as a teacher and coach to gain the trust of her son -- and then took advantage of him.

"The key is trust," she said in a pre-recorded statement. "Trust was terribly broken."

"That's exactly what we have: it's a broken trust," Aarseth said. "Most cases of sexual assault and sexual abuse are committed by individuals that actually know who the victim is."

Seifert invited the teenage boy to come with him to a summer camp. The parents reluctantly agreed -- only because they thought he'd be safe with Seifert.

The 13-year old boy told his mother he didn't want to see Seifert anymore. When she asked why, he said Seifert had touched him in a private area during an overnight youth trip.

Seifert pleaded guilty in August, breaking down in a police interview and saying he just wanted to fix what he did wrong. He apologized in court Friday.

"I'm so terribly sorry for the devastation and pain I've caused," Seifert said, holding back tears.

"You are sentenced to 15 years with seven years suspended," Aarseth told him. "You have eight years that you will be serving."

Aarseth says every parent takes a huge leap of faith in thinking that teachers have the best interest in mind for their children -- but if that trust is broken, it shatters that faith and devastates the whole community.

Once Seifert is released he'll have to register as a sex offender for fifteen years.

Contact Ashton Goodell at agoodell@ktuu.com