Former North Middle School teacher who molested 13-year-old boy sentenced to 20 years

Former Joplin North Middle School reading teacher Amanda Ruth Schweitzer, 42, was sentenced to 20 years in prison today for charges connected to her molestation of a 13-year-old boy.

Following her sentence, she will be under supervised probation for 15 years. She will also be required to register as a sex offender.

On June 16, 2020, Schweitzer pleaded guilty to enticing a minor for illegal sexual activity. 

Schweitzer's crimes were spelled out in the plea agreement.

On March 29, 2017, Joplin, Missouri Police Department (JPD) Officer and School Resource Officer R. Hirshey responded to North Middle School, 102 South Gray, Joplin, Missouri, in reference to the defendant sending nude images of herself to three students.

Officer Hirshey spoke with North Middle School Principal Matt Harding. Harding stated that C. O. and D. R. adult females, made a report regarding John Doe 1 (DOB 2003), John Doe 2 (DOB 2002) and John Doe 3 (DOB 2002), and advised him that the defendant sent nude photos to John Doe I's Instagram account.

On March 29, 2017, JPD Corporal Luke Stahl responded to North Middle School to further the investigation. Cpl. Stahl seized all the John Does' cellular phones with consent from their mothers. Cpl. Stahl asked the defendant if she would be willing to come to JPD for an interview.

The defendant consented and rode with Cpl. Stahl. Upon arrival, Cpl. Stahl took the defendant to an interview room and read the defendant her rights under Miranda and she agreed to waive her rights to speak with Cpl. Stahl.

The defendant stated she had communicated with John Doe 1 and 3, but that it was all school related. The defendant said John Doe 1 and 3 had messaged her asking for Mountain Dew, so she drove to John Doe 3's residence to drop some off for them.

The defendant said she had also given John Doe 1 and 3 a ride to John Doe 3's residence so that they would not have to walk home from school.

The defendant also admitted she had picked John Doe 1 up on March 20, 2017 to go see a movie. They never went to the movies, driving around instead and eventually they went to the river in a white four-door car.

John Doe 1 reported that once they got the river, the defendant (initiated oral sex and later sexual intercourse with the boy).

John Doe 1 stated the second time they had sex was on March 29, 2017. John Doe 1 stated he had not gone to school; he had stayed home with John Doe 3.

The defendant texted him to ask him why he had not come to school. The defendant later came to John Doe 3's residence and took (John Doe 1) inside to a bedroom. John Doe 1 stated that they had sex in the bedroom.

John Doe 1 started that the defendant mostly communicated with him through the Instagram application. John Doe 1 stated that before the defendant picked him up from John Doe 3's residence, she had sent him a picture of her breast.

John Doe 1 stated that the defendant had sent him nude pictures of herself before. John Doe 1 stated that in one of her photos, the defendant had a purple (sex toy) that looked like a cactus. John Doe 1 sent one (nude photo of himself) to the defendant.

On April 11, 2017, TFO Roller conducted a forensic examination of (Schweitzer's phone and John Doe 1's phone).

On John Doe 1's phone, images of John Doe (nude) and images with the defendant's exposing her breast were located. There was also one image depicting the defendant with (the sex toy) in her mouth.

On the defendant's phone, multiple images of her exposing her breast were located, including the images that were located on John Doe 1's phone. All of the Instagram messages had been deleted from both phones.