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Former Plum Teacher Accused Of Sex With Student Reaches Plea Deal

PITTSBURGH (KDKA/AP) -- Michael Cinefra was the third teacher involved in a sex scandal in the Plum School District.

The 30-year-old is no longer a substitute teacher.

He pleaded guilty in court Thursday morning to a host of charges related to a sexual relationship with a student at Plum High School.

Unlike the other accused teachers, Joseph Ruggieri and Jason Cooper, he may face more prison time because his victim was younger. Cinefra's victim was 15, and he was 25, when he gave her alcohol and repeatedly had her perform a sex act on him in 2011.

The pair would text, and meet, often including kissing and touching, on as many as ten other times, in different classrooms at the school.

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"He admitted his mistake to the police. He ruined his life, he understands that. He has never been in trouble, good teacher from all accounts that I have heard. But he knows it was a devastating mistake on his life and there is no excuse for it," said defense attorney Pat Thomassey.

Cinefra will be sentenced in February.

He pleaded guilty to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, providing alcohol to a minor and a number of other charges - which could total at least 30 years in prison.  Under a plea agreement, he is expected to serve less time.

His attorney believes Cinefra isn't the only person that should be held accountable for the "climate" that existed at the high school that allowed teacher/students liaisons to exist.

"I believe more officials should have been fired out there. Somebody had to know what was going on and it created that climate the buck stops here at the top and I thought they  should have been fired," Thomassey said.

(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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