Decatur substitute teacher accused of sexual assault pleads not guilty
DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) — A Decatur teacher has pleaded not guilty after being arrested for sexual assault earlier this month.
Alley Bardfield, the 34-year-old substitute teacher accused of predatory criminal sexual assault against one of her sixth grade students, pleaded not guilty in court Wednesday afternoon. The judge ruled there was enough probable cause to move the case forward.
Bardfield is no longer with the district, Decatur Public Schools previously confirmed.
Originally, Bardfield was arrested and charged with predatory criminal sexual assault and grooming, but the Macon County State’s Attorney dropped the grooming charge.
“[A} grooming charge is a much less serious criminal offense. I felt that we had a very strong case with respect to the more serious charge,” Rueter said. “So I didn’t want to get distracted basically on that where we’ve got the most serious charge filed.”
Predatory criminal sexual assault is a class X felony offense, which carries a minimum of six years in prison with a maximum sentence being 60 years.
Bardfield’s lawyer declined to talk to WCIA Wednesday.
Her next trial date is June 5th. Bardfield’s lawyer is required to show up, but not Bardfield.
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