Former "Teacher of the Year" Sentenced to 30 Years for Child Sexual Abuse

Jacqueline Ma was honored as the Teacher of the Year in late 2022, prior to her April 2023 arrest

Jacqueline Ma, a 36-year-old former elementary school teacher once honored as San Diego County's Teacher of the Year, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for sexually abusing two young students. The disgraced educator, who taught fifth- and sixth-graders at Lincoln Acres Elementary School in National City, pleaded guilty in February to two counts each of forcible lewd acts on a child and possession of child sexual abuse material.

Jacqueline Ma had been facing over 100 years in prison

During her emotional sentencing hearing on Friday, Ma expressed remorse for her crimes, stating through tears, "I'm deeply ashamed of my actions... Instead of following the path of what a teacher should be, I let my selfishness override the boys' best interests." She specifically apologized for having "ripped away their childhood" and asked for protection for those she harmed.

The case came to light in April 2023 when the mother of a 12-year-old victim discovered love letters and sexually suggestive text messages Ma had sent to her son. Prosecutors revealed the teacher had groomed the boy over a 10-month period. Investigators also uncovered evidence that Ma had previously groomed an 11-year-old male student years earlier.

Neither victim nor their families attended the sentencing hearing. Ma, who received the Teacher of the Year award in late 2022, will now serve her three-decade prison term for crimes that shocked the school community and violated the trust placed in educators.