Maximum sentence for Van Alstyne teacher

Kristen Jackson received the maximum sentence. (KTEN)

SHERMAN, Texas -- A former Van Alstyne substitute teacher who was convicted of sending explicit photos to a minor on Wednesday received the maximum sentence on Thursday.

Kristen Jackson, 36, will spend one year in the county jail and must pay a $4,000 fine.

"It's a great thing that someone of this nature, a predator, is off our streets and is in custody and is going to jail, and won't be harming the children any more," said Colby Hemphill, the victim's father. 

Jackson's lawyers had sought a plea deal last week; the bid was denied.

The educator was arrested in September for allegedly sending harmful material to an underage student in June, 2017. Hemphill said she added his son, a Van Alstyne High School student, to her Snapchat account.

"Shortly after they became friends, she sent him some sexually explicit photographs of herself, and some very sexually explicit video," said Grayson County Assistant District Attorney Matt Rolston.

In court, Jackson explained that those images were intended for someone else, but the jury didn't buy it. They deliberated for just 20 minutes before reaching a verdict.

"Finally, justice is served," Hemphill said. "It's been a long road, so a great weight has been lifted off my family's shoulders."

He said he couldn't be more proud of his son for speaking out.

"It took a lot of courage for my son to get up in front of everyone and recount everything that's gone on," Hemphill said. "Hopefully it also helps other people that have been involved in something like this to stand up say something and put a stop to people like this, and get these people off the streets."

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An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Kristen Jackson was ineligible for probation because she failed to fill out the proper forms in time. Her attorney, Micah Belden, said the defendant was not asking the jury for probation. KTEN regrets the error.

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