Former Elkhorn band director sentenced to three years in prison in child abuse case

A former Elkhorn South High School band director was sentenced to three years in prison Friday for felony child abuse involving one of her students.

Michelle Bluford, 57, pleaded no contest to the child abuse charge last month in exchange for prosecutors dropping two misdemeanor sexual assault charges. Bluford had been accused of grooming and having an inappropriate relationship with the female student.

Douglas County District Court Judge Horacio Wheelock handed down Bluford’s sentence after he agreed with prosecutor Amy Jacobsen’s argument that Bluford knew the relationship with the student, who has since graduated, was wrong.

Bluford

Court documents stated that the inappropriate relationship, which began when the student was a junior in high school, lasted about two years. The relationship intensified after the student graduated. The student ended the relationship and requested that Bluford not contact her.

Incidents outlined in court documents include Bluford cuddling the student, requesting the student call her “mom” and having framed pictures of her and the student together around her apartment. On one occasion after the student graduated, Bluford reportedly invited her to her apartment and kissed her on the lips.

The student testified in court that when her classmates would have lunch, Bluford would regularly lead her to private areas of the school.

Those incidents and others, as well as carefully worded private correspondence between Bluford and the student, showed Bluford knew exactly what she was doing, Jacobsen said.

“She knew she was going too far. She was calculating the whole thing,” Jacobsen said.

To this day, the student said, her life remains affected by Bluford. She added Bluford “invaded my privacy in every way.”

“There’s nothing I want more than this nightmare to be over,” the student said.

Bluford’s attorney, Joseph Howard, said Bluford has acknowledged that what she did was wrong. But he said probation rather than prison would be the more appropriate punishment. He said that would offer Bluford community support and more rehabilitation resources.

Howard noted that Bluford, who had taught for 32 years, will never teach again as she has surrendered her teaching license. He also noted Bluford did not have a prior criminal record.

“She’s the type of person probation was designed for,” Howard said. He also pointed to the multiple letters submitted to the court in support of Bluford, who was affectionately called “Dr. B.”

Since Bluford entered her no contest plea last month, Wheelock said he has thought about the case every day. While he considered probation “for weeks,” he said Bluford’s case was far worse than the penalty.

In addition to sentencing Bluford to three years in prison, Wheelock also ordered her to serve 18 months in post-release supervision. He ordered Bluford to have no contact with the student, the student’s family and children.

With two days of time served credited to her, Bluford will be eligible to be released from prison in 1½ years under state law.

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The former band director at Elkhorn South High School was found guilty of felony child abuse last week in a case that alleged the longtime tea…