DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - A former long-term substitute teacher for Decatur Public Schools was sentenced to 10 years in prison Thursday afternoon.

Alley Bardfield, 34, will serve the 10-year sentence at 85%, with three years up to life supervised release.

Bardfield was arrested by police in April 2024 for sexually abusing and grooming an 11-year-old student.

According to Mt. Zion Police, in early April 2024, a Decatur resident reported a possible inappropriate relationship between Bardfield and her 11-year-old son. The victim was a sixth grade student with DPS at the time of the crime.

During an August hearing, Bardfield took a partial plea agreement to count 1. At the time, the state recommended she be sentenced to 40 years at 85%. The maximum penalty for this sentence is 60 years.

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