‘You Took My Happiness Away’ — Prison For Aide Who Sexually Assaulted Special Needs Student

A New Jersey man, who used to work as a teacher’s aide in Pennsylvania’s York City School District, is set to spend years behind bars for sexually abusing a 13-year-old special needs student.

Jean Pierre Larue, 36, of Woodbury, New Jersey, was sentenced to serve between five and 12 years of prison time on Wednesday, the York Daily Record reports. The prison time was part of a plea deal. The former aide had pleaded guilty in April to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse. He did not make a statement before the sentencing.

The victim did, however. In a letter read out loud in court by her mother, she laid out in powerful terms for her abuser the effect his actions had on her.

“You make me sick,” the letter read. “You took my happiness away.”

In the letter, the child stated that she and her family have been blamed for the sexual abuse, and that she doesn’t trust people anymore. 

Jean Pierre Larue Photo: York County Sheriff's Office

“You stole that from me," she wrote in the letter. "I hope you rot in jail, because that's where disgusting abusers like you belong."

In addition to reading her daughter's heartbreaking letter, the mother had a few words for Larue herself: “You destroyed your family. You destroyed my family,” she said.

The victim, who has been reported as having special needs, was 13 when the sexual abuse began. It went on for two months.

Larue's admitted during the police investigation that he had sent inappropriate text messages to the girl, "asking to perform sexual acts on her," according to the York Dispatch. He also admitted to performing some sexual acts — the girl told police that Larue performed oral sex on her in her home, according to the Dispatch.

Jennifer Tunno, a teacher who worked with Larue called him a  “master manipulator” and a person “who needs to be locked up to protect society” in court, according to the York Daily Record.

Larue is scheduled to be sentenced July 31.