Cape woman sentenced in child molestation case

JACKSON, Mo. -- A Cape Girardeau woman who admitted to having sexual contact with a 14-year-old boy was sentenced Tuesday to a year in the county jail.

Pamela L. Recker, 43, had a romantic relationship with the boy in November and December, a time Recker claims to have been under the influence of a variety of prescription medications.

She begged the judge for leniency Tuesday during a lengthy sentencing hearing, asked forgiveness from the boy's parents.

The former day care owner also asked the judge not to keep her from working with children.

Defense aßttorney Stephen Wilson called on St. Louis pharmacologist Terry Martinez, who testified drug interaction may have caused delirium, amnesia and a loss of inhibitions in Recker.

The drugs, a prescription for anxiety as well as powerful painkillers for dental problems, may have influenced her actions with the boy,

Cape Girardeau County Prosecutor Morley Swingle argued that Recker was perfectly aware of her actions, describing her a sexual predator seducing a 14-year-old.

Love letters

Swingle described a stack of e-mail correspondence from Recker to the boy, as "articulate, well-written letters of seduction."

The e-mails, deleted by Recker and salvaged by the Cape County Sheriff's Department, show a string of steady correspondence.

In the correspondence, she called the boy "Teddy," while her nickname was "Hot Baby." She also expressed the desire to divorce her husband and marry the teen-ager, even adding his last name to hers on one e-mail account.

Recker advises the teen-ager how to trick his parents and other people so he could spend time alone with her.

Recker's jail sentence was suspended except for 15 days of shock treatment. She has two-years probation under the court's supervision.

Recker also has to attend a sex offender program.

Associated Circuit Court Judge Scott Thompsen said his hands were bound as far as issuing a stiffer sentence.

"A serious crime was committed," Thompsen said. "It deserves a serious sentence."

He said he didn't believe Recker was a risk to her own young son, but said "I fear what will happen if you meet another teen-age boy."

As part of her probation, Recker was ordered to stay away from all teen-agers who aren't blood relatives.

In a plea agreement March 27, charges against Recker were reduced from felony statutory sodomy to misdemeanor child molestation.

abuchanan@semissourian.com

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