Nick Hytrek
CHEROKEE, Iowa -- A former Cherokee Washington High School teacher who was accused of grooming a student for a potential relationship has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and likely will not face time in prison.
Joseph Vannatta, 46, of Cherokee, entered his written plea Monday in Cherokee County District Court to one count of harassment, an aggravated misdemeanor. The charge was reduced from sexual exploitation by a school employee, a Class D felony.
In his plea, Vannatta admitted he "... participated in unwarranted personal communications with another person about his sex life without legitimate purpose and in a manner likely to cause the other person annoyance or harm."
The document said that according to a plea agreement, the sentencing judge will have the option to give Vannatta a deferred judgment, and prosecutors will recommend that any term of incarceration be suspended and he be placed on two years' probation and fined.
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"The parties also agree that the facts do not constitute a sexually motivated offense," court documents said.
A sentencing date has not yet been set.
As a result of the plea, Vannatta's attorney, Jacklyn Fox, withdrew a motion to dismiss the case. She had argued the information contained in the complaint did not meet the statutory elements of sexual exploitation and the charge should be dismissed because it was vague and too broad.
Vannatta was arrested in March after a lengthy investigation stemming from a student complaint filed in April 2023 in which Vannatta was accused of "a scheme of conduct to insert himself into (the student's) sexual life" from approximately August 2022 through March 2023.
The student, police said in the complaint, felt Vannatta was grooming him for a relationship by engaging him in sexual conversations and asking about his sex life.
A band teacher, Vannatta was later fired after his arrest.
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