Julie Culbertson

Julie Miller Culbertson, a 39 years old North Carolina health science teacher at East Henderson High School in Hendersonville was orginally arrested in July 2007 for having sex with a female student. Culbertson, a married mother, was sentenced to three years of probation on one count of felony sex offense with a student. The sexual relationship between Culbertson and the girl went on for several weeks.

Per a plea agreement in July, Culbertson pleaded guilty to the felony charge and spent 30 days in the Henderson County jail. Culbertson was released from jail in August, according to Assistant District Attorney Beth Dierauf.

The victim is a daughter of a local police officer, was not present during the sentencing proceedings this morning. Resident Superior Court Judge Mark Powell allowed the victim’s father to address the court about the incident. “It’s a shame that in my 24 years in law enforcement I have protected strangers, and I couldn’t even protect my own daughter,” he said while sobbing.