New evidence released in case of Polk County teacher accused of having sex with student

POLK COUNTY, Fla. — New evidence from the State Attorney’s Office is revealing more details about a Lakeland teacher’s alleged inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old student.

Jennifer Fichter was arrested in April after police said she admitted to having sex with the student.

Investigators said she had sex with the teenager dozens of times in her truck, in parking lots, and around Polk and Hillsborough counties.

Channel 9’s Nancy Alvarez went through hundreds of pages of interviews with those closest to the case.

The paperwork details the agony of the alleged victim’s mother.

In one transcript of her interview with investigators, the mother said she confronted Fichter about her relationship with her son.

The mother reportedly asked, “What does a 17-year-old have for you?”

Fichter’s reportedly replied by saying that every boyfriend she’s ever had she’s taken care of, and that she loved the victim and wanted them to be together.

The evidence includes explicit details of Fichter’s alleged affair.

The documents said there were attempts to hide the relationship, with Fichter allegedly using fake names in their texts.

The victim told detectives it all began with Fichter rubbing his leg in computer class at the Central Florida Aerospace Academy last November, and by Christmas break, they were texting.

By January, the student told police he had sex with Fichter in the back of her truck.

In a phone call recorded by police between the victim’s mother and Fichter, the teacher allegedly said she had no regrets because she loved him and wanted to be with him. She reportedly said their relationship became stronger over time, in spite of everything they went through.

“She literally has no defense,” said WFTV’s legal analyst Bill Scheaffer. “We have a confession. It is not likely that you will see this case go to trial.”

Fichter taught at Robinswood Middle School in Orange County from 2007 to 2008 and records show she was accused of inappropriately communicating with a student there, but no charges were filed.

Fichter is being held in the Hillsborough County Jail on no bond.

WFTV