Wife of Ventura Supervisor Accused of Sex With Boy, 16
The estranged wife of the chairman of the Ventura County Board of Supervisors has pleaded innocent to charges that she engaged in sexual activity with a high school boy.
Carol Dougherty, 43, appeared in Ventura County Municipal Court Wednesday and entered her pleas to eight charges of oral copulation with a 16-year-old student from Royal High School in Simi Valley, Deputy Dist. Atty. Chuck Campbell said.
“There are no allegations that this took place by force, fear or duress,” Campbell said.
Dougherty was a teacher at Royal High for 18 years but resigned when she was confronted with the charges, Campbell said.
She has been married for 23 years to James Dougherty, a county supervisor since 1978 who was named chairman of the board Tuesday, hours before police released information on the sex charges.
“Although Carol and I had already separated before I knew about this situation--and even though we are living apart--once this matter has been resolved, I will do whatever I can to help her build a new life for herself,” the supervisor said in a statement.
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