Ex-teacher gets 25 years for sex assault

HARRISBURG — A jury has sentenced a former Trumann High School teacher to 25 years in prison after convicting him of sexual assaulting a then-15-year-old student and fathering her child.

The jury deliberated about three hours Wednesday before convicting 40-year-old Danny Akers of first-degree sexual assault and fourth-degree sexual assault. Akers, who taught English at Trumann High School, was arrested in February 2013 after an investigation by Trumann police.

The victim, who is now 18, testified that she got pregnant in September 2011 and had the baby in July 2012. An state Crime Laboratory report found there was a 99.99 percent probability that Akers was the father of the child.

Defense attorney Martin Lilly told The Jonesboro Sun that he's disappointed with the verdict and that they're considering an appeal.

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