UPDATE: Shannon Cardinal Sentenced To Two Years In Prison For Sexually Assaulting Student~Mayville High School Teacher Accused Of Having Sex With 17 Year Old Male Student, With 2 Year Old Toddler Present In The Home

By Scott Raynor Email the author April 28, 2012

A toddler was present in the home during an alleged sexual encounter between a teacher and former student who now lives in Marion, prosecutors say.

The teacher, Shannon Cardinal, 43, of Oakfield, WI, may face charges in Iowa in addition to the 186 years in prison she is facing if convicted in Wisconsin. Those are among new details emerging in the case in which Cardinal is being accused of having sex with an underage former student, who was 16 at the time of some of the alleged encounters and is now 17.

Prosecutors said in a court appearance Friday that Mayville High School teacher Shannon Cardinal had her 2-year-old child present during one of the alleged sexual encounters at her home, Fox 11 of Green Bay, WI reported.

NBC-26, also in Green Bay, WI, cites criminal complaints in its reports that the unnamed student left the district and moved to Iowa in March, and that Cardinal traveled to see him and they allegedly had sex in his mother's house.

The report states Cardinal may also face charges in Iowa.

The relationship started slowly, according to the Fox 11 report.

The student told police he started having lunch with Cardinal in her classroom in May 2011, Fox 11 reported, citing criminal complaints. In fall 2011, he was enrolled in her Spanish class, he told police.

Things evolved from there.

Lunch turned into text messages and friendship and then allegedly evolved into a consensual but illegal sexual relationship, with the first encounter being on December 8, 2011, the student told investigators, Fox 11 reports.

"We're dealing with a situation that is known as consensual in fact, but not in law," Fond du Lac County District Attorney Dan Kaminsky told Fox 11. "And sometimes participants may not realize the significance of the conduct they are engaging in."

Cardinal has been charged with six counts each of sexual assault and child enticement.

According to Marion Police Chief Harry Daugherty, the first known sexual encounter occurred in Marion, but most encounters occurred at Cardinal's residence in Mayville. A family member of the victim brought the alleged relationship to light in Marion.

Cardinal appeared in court for the first time on Friday and was released on a $5,000 bond.

Cardinal has been on paid administrative leave since Monday.

The Fond du Lac District Attorney did not immediately respond to contact from Marion Patch.

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Mayville teacher formally charged in sex case
Shannon Cardinal on paid leave

Updated: Friday, 27 Apr 2012, 5:49 PM CDT
Published : Friday, 27 Apr 2012, 10:25 AM CDT

Chad Doran, FOX 11 News
FOND DU LAC - Shannon Cardinal appeared in Fond du Lac County court by video Friday morning. The Mayville High School teacher is facing 186 years in prison for an alleged sexual relationship with a former student.

"We're dealing with a situation that is known as consensual in fact, but not in law. And sometimes participants may not realize the significance of the conduct they are engaging in," said Fond du Lac County District Attorney Dan Kaminsky.

Investigators and school officials say none of the alleged assaults took place at the school. According to the criminal complaint, the relationship began at the school in May of 2011. The student told police he would sometimes eat lunch in Cardinal's classroom. The student told investigators he started taking Spanish classes with Cardinal as his teacher in the fall of 2011. According to the complaint, lunchtime conversations turned into friendship and text messaging which led to the alleged sexual assaults. Most of the alleged sexual assaults took place at Cardinal's home and it was a family member of the victim who first called police.

"It was first brought to the attention to the attention of investigators in Iowa and then was brought to the attention of the Fond du Lac Sheriff's Department," said Kaminsky.

The student told investigators the first incident happened December 8, 2011. The complaint details at least six alleged sexual encounters. In court Friday, prosecutors also said Cardinal's two-year-old child was present at the home during one of the alleged incidents. One incident occurred when Cardinal allegedly traveled to Iowa to have sex with the student after he moved from the district.

Cardinal posted a $5,000 cash bond after court. She is due back in court again on June 1.

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I cannot believe her bond was ONLY $5 grand!! And, where is the father of this poor little two year old???

FOND DU LAC--Charges are filed against a Mayville teacher--accused of having sex with a student.

43-year-old Shannon Cardinal of Oakfield is charged with six-counts of sexual assault of a student by school staff and six counts of child enticement.

The two allegedly had a lengthy relationship. Prosecutors also say Cardinal's 2-year-old child was with her during one of the assaults.

"I believe the teacher taught a Spanish class that the student was attending," Fond Du Lac County District Attorney Daniel Kaminsky said.

According to a criminal complaint, Cardinal and the student, who was 16 at the time, shared text messages which quickly escalated. The two reportedly had sex several times at her home in Oakfield starting in December.

"She is allegedly going through a divorce, and I know she has two or three little children," Tracy Borchard said.

She lives next-door to Cardinal.

"It's very appalling. I'm concerned about the teens that are going to school and what's going on with the teachers and the trust for our children," Borchard said.

The report states the student moved to Iowa in March. Cardinal reportedly went to visit him--where they had sex at his mother's house. The student tells investigators when he told his sister about the relationship she started quote, "freaking out about it".

It may be that sometimes participants don't realize the significance of the conduct they're engaging in," Kaminsky said.

Cardinal's bond was set at 5-thousand dollars Friday, which she posted a few minutes later.

We went to Cardinal's house, but she didn't answer. The Mayville superintendent tells us she was put on administrative leave Monday.

Cardinal is due back in court on June 1st. If convicted, she faces up to 186 years behind bars. She also could be facing charges in Iowa.

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May 24, 2013
A Mayville teacher pleaded guilty Friday to one count for having a sexual relationship with a student.

Shannon Cardinal, 44, was convicted of one count of sexual assault of a student by a staff member. As part of the plea deal, six other counts of that charge were dismissed, but the judge can consider them at sentencing. Also, seven counts of child enticement were dismissed, according to online court records.

No sentencing date has been set before Fond du Lac County Judge Dale English. She faces a maximum of six years in prison.

According to the criminal complaint, the relationship began at the school in May of 2011. The then-16-year-old student told police he would sometimes eat lunch in Cardinal's classroom. The student told investigators he started taking Spanish classes with Cardinal as his teacher in the fall of 2011. According to the complaint, lunch-time conversations turned into friendship and text messaging which led to the sexual assaults.

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September 5, 2013
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A former Spanish teacher at Mayville High School will be in prison for the next two years.

Shannon Cardinal, 44, was sentenced Wednesday for her conviction of having sex with a student.

"I know I made a mistake, I've never denied that fact, I've asked for forgiveness through God because that is the only way I could,” said Cardinal.

Shannon Cardinal's tearful apology didn't sway the opinion of Judge Dale English.

"You expect teachers to teach and not to victimize, and I think the breech of trust here is significant,” said Judge English, Fond du Lac County Circuit Court.

English sentenced Cardinal to two years in prison. That's more than the one year in jail prosecutors had asked for.

The victim did not attend the sentencing.

Cardinal was convicted of six incidents of sexual assault and texting naked pictures of herself to the student. Judge English says the conduct outweighed the fact Cardinal previously had a clean record and has since found employment that does not put her in contact with minors.

"This isn't a probation case to me, it just isn't. I think the offense is so aggravating that probation I don't think is appropriate,” he said.

And that satisfied prosecutors.

"On cases like this, it is sometimes hard to find the right balance as to exactly what is appropriate. She didn't have a criminal record and she had what the court called good character, but the severity of the offense was so high I could have seen the court go either way,” said Devra Ayala, Fond du Lac County Assistant District Attorney.

Cardinal's attorney did not comment after court, but told the judge Cardinal was dealing with depression and marital problems at the time she began the relationship with the student.

"I have gained incredible knowledge through my self-growth through my therapy and would like to share this lesson that I have learned,” said Cardinal.

Her attorney agreed some punishment was appropriate but argued for one month in jail, instead asking for probation for Cardinal to prove she has learned from her mistake.

As part of her sentence, Cardinal will have to register as a sex offender and will have to report to begin her sentence in 60 days.

Cardinal will serve one year of extended supervision after her prison term.

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