A former Thorsby High School teacher who pleaded guilty in May to rape and sodomy charges of a student was sentenced to five years in prison Thursday morning.

Jennifer Collins McNeill, 40, of Thorsby, appeared in court at 8 a.m. before Chilton County Circuit Judge John B. Bush, who sentenced McNeill to 60 months in prison on each charge, to run concurrently.

McNeill pleaded guilty in May to three counts of second-degree rape and one count of second-degree sodomy in a plea agreement with prosecutors.

Bush told McNeill he made the decision regarding her sentencing based on the victim’s age, McNeill’s age and her position in the community.

“You certainly are old enough to know better,” Bush told McNeill. “I have found this absolutely abhorrent. There is no justification I can find for this type of conduct, and it is compounded with lies.”

Bush went on to say he wanted everyone in the courtroom to recognize that crimes have consequences.

“It ripples down,” Bush said. “It destroys churches, it destroys families, and it destroys this community.”

McNeill addressed the court prior to her sentencing, telling everyone she was “sorry for what she had done.”

“I have lost so much,” McNeill said tearfully before the judge. “I am sorry to the court. I am sorry to the victim. I have learned my lesson.”

The victim’s mother also addressed the court prior to McNeill’s sentencing, expressing how the lives of her family have forever changed.

“Jennifer was a friend of our family, she was a dear friend of mine, she was a school teacher and a Sunday school teacher,” the victim’s mother said. “No parent should have to take their child to counseling to deal with this. My son has suffered greatly this year. Now, [McNeill] must be punished for the crimes she committed.”

McNeill’s sentencing was originally scheduled for July 24 but was delayed after prosecutors filed a motion stating McNeill posted a comment on Facebook that was inconsistent with her guilty plea.

The motion filed by prosecutors stated McNeill posted on Facebook to a link from a story written by The Clanton Advertiser that was inconsistent with her guilty plea.

According to court documents, McNeill posted a comment under the name Jennifer Henry at 11:08 p.m. May 16 on Facebook to a link from an article written about McNeill pleading guilty.

“I would like to thank the people who have supported me,” the post read. “IF I were guilty and IF there were ANY evidence then I would be in jail right now. The plea was the best decision for my family. Those of you that understand the law know exactly what I am talking about. The truth will eventually come out. A lie can’t live forever.”

Bush told McNeill during the court hearing July 24 that if the Facebook comment was true, McNeill violated the terms of her plea.

McNeill claimed on July 24 that she did not write the comment on Facebook, and that three people, including the victim and two members of the victim’s family, knew McNeill’s Facebook password, and could have posted the comment.

Bush said if McNeill did not make the comment on Facebook, he wanted to know who did.

Bush gave McNeill’s attorney, Angie Collins time to try and ascertain who posted the comment.

During Thursday’s hearing, Collins told Bush that after the hearing July 24, McNeill admitted she had “misrepresented” things about the case and about the Facebook post, which she wrote.

“You never have to back up on telling the truth. Lies only make things worse,” Bush said. “I wish you the best of luck, and I will pray for your forgiveness.”

Chief Deputy District Attorney C.J. Robinson with the 19th Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office said after McNeill’s sentencing he thought Thursday’s sentencing went well.

“I think everything went as well as it could go for us,” Robinson said. “This has been a long road, but I believe at the end of the day the truth came out, and justice was served.”