A former Desert Edge High School coach was sentenced Friday to one weekend in jail and lifetime probation after she pleaded guilty to sexual conduct with a minor.
Susan Jayne Anderson, 29, did not contest the charges against her, said Mike Scerbo, a spokesman for the Maricopa County Attorney's Office.
"The defendant pled to the charge filed against her," Scerbo said. "The judge had total discretion of the sentencing. We did ask for more jail time than that."
Anderson was arrested Feb. 4, 2008, when the victim's family contacted police after finding something suspicious on the girl's MySpace page, the View reported in its Feb. 8, 2008, issue. The victim was 16 at the time.
Police discovered Anderson and the victim "spent hundreds of minutes" talking to each other on cell phones and sent "thousands of text messages" to each other, Goodyear Police Department spokesman John Rowan said.
Anderson told police after her arrest that she had a sexual relationship with the victim and "she chose and targeted the victim because the victim had low self-esteem," records show.
Anderson taught physical education at Centerra Mirage Elementary School in the Avondale Elementary School District and coached girls volleyball and basketball at Desert Edge, which is in the Agua Fria Union High School District. Both schools are in Goodyear.
The Avondale Elementary School District placed Anderson on administrative leave after her arrest and on March 4, 2008, the Governing Board voted to terminate her contract.
Anderson's coaching contract with the Agua Fria Union High School District ended before her arrest.
