Ex-Nease teacher sentenced to year in jail on sex charges

Former PE teacher pleads guilty to unlawful sexual activity with minor

St. Johns County Sheriff's Office booking photo of Dionne Younce

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – A former Nease High School teacher pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of having sex with a student and was sentenced to one year in the St. Johns County jail.

Dionne Younce, 29, who was a physical education teacher, was fired in February after allegations of misconduct with students.

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The Sheriff's Office said it began investigating Younce in January after getting three or four letters from students saying that she had an inappropriate relationship with at least one student. A 17-year-old told detectives that he had sex with her twice at her apartment on Ponte Vedra Boulevard.

Three students said Younce messaged them and sent them text messages, beginning last fall. One of the students said Younce also Snapchatted with him. He said it was “casual," but then it turned “sexual” after a while.

Younce was suspended by the St. Johns County School Board in January while the charges were investigated and was fired in February.

She was arrested Feb. 25 on two counts of unlawful sexual activity with minors, and pleaded guilty Thursday morning to one count.

Circuit Judge Michael Traynor sentenced her to 364 days in jail, but gave her credit for two days of time served. After she is released from jail, Younce will spend five years on probation with sex offender conditions and will be required to register as a sex offender.