A teacher at the Adair Youth Detention Center was acquitted on a solicitation to murder charge last week in Adair Circuit Court.
The jury acquitted 27-year-old Elena K. Bardin on the conspiracy to murder charge, but convicted her on other charges including first-degree sexual abuse, unlawful transaction with a minor and distribution of obscene material to a minor.
The jury recommended consecutive sentences that would total 14 years in prison on the charges. Bardin will appear in court for formal sentencing in November.
Bardin was arrested in April by Kentucky State Police following a routine search at the youth detention center. During that search, evidence was discovered that showed Bardin had subjected the juvenile to illegal sexual contact and provided him with sexually explicit images of herself.
Information in the letters also led prosecutors to believe Bardin was soliciting the juvenile to murder her husband. However, after a two-day trial last week, the jury acquitted her on that charge, which could have carried a 10-20 year prison sentence.
