Marie Ellen Donaldson, the wife of North Gem School District Superintendent Curry Donaldson, changed her plea to guilty last week as part of a plea agreement with authorities in Arizona. 

According to a 27-page report issued by the Cochise County, Arizona, Sheriff’s Office, Marie Donaldson, 35, “conducted a romantic relationship involving sexual conduct” with a 16-year-old boy who was a student at San Simon High School.

Marie Donaldson was a teacher at the high school when the incidents occurred, and her husband was that district’s superintendent before taking over at North Gem. She does not work for the North Gem School District.

Marie Donaldson was charged with nine counts of intentionally or knowingly engaging in oral sexual contact with a person under 18 years of age. She originally pleaded not guilty to the charges.

However, Deputy County Attorney Lori Zucco said Marie Donaldson accepted a plea agreement and changed her plea Friday.

Zucco said Superior Court Judge John Kelliher accepted the plea but deferred the case back to trial judge James Conlogue. Sentencing in the case is set for Aug. 17.

Until the trial judge also accepts the plea deal, Zucco will not release which of the charges Marie Donaldson was pleading guilty to or if she was pleading to a lesser charge.

According to police reports, the “incidents of consensual contact” occurred over a 12-month period, and the victim told deputies that sex (oral, no intercourse) began in 2014.

The multiple contacts between the victim and suspect were facilitated and witnessed by two of the victim’s schoolmates, according to the sheriff’s report.

The Cochise County Sheriff’s Office first received the report on May 15, 2014. 

North Gem School Board member George Millward declined to comment about whether or not Curry Donaldson disclosed the ongoing investigation against his wife to the school board prior to taking over at North Gem.

In a separate case, Kimberly Rosean Speck was found guilty of sexual battery-committed by lewd or lascivious acts on a minor child 16 to 17 years of age and injury to a child in May. Both charges against Speck were felonies.  

According to court records, Speck was placed on probation, ordered to serve 100 hours of community service, fined $2,245 and ordered to pay $800 in restitution.

The Oneida County Sheriff’s Office launched an investigation after receiving reports that Speck had sexual contact with a high school-aged male, and she was charged in September.