UPDATE: Second martial arts instructor convicted on sex abuse charges in Wicomico Co.
A woman could be facing up to 35 years in prison, after she was convicted for her involvement in a child sex abuse case in Wicomico County.
On Wednesday, a jury found Leah Wright, a former Mitchell's Martial Arts instructor guilty of sex abuse of a minor. The jury found Wright guilty of 3 out of 22 charges she was facing.
Wright is the alleged accomplice that the state claims helped Zach Bennett sexually abuse underage female students.
On Wednesday, Wright took the stand in her defense. She admitted that she had a crush on Bennett and wanted to please him.
However, the state claimed Wright and Bennett took advantage of the victim in order to fulfill their sexual fantasies of having a threesome. The state says between 2014 and 2015 Wright and Bennett worked together to sexually abuse one underage victim.
In one instance, Wright encouraging the victim to give Bennett oral sex. On another instance Wright acting as a lookout for Bennett as he performed sexual acts on the victim.
After court, 47 ABC caught up with the owner of Mitchell's Martial Arts and her attorney.
"Melody Mitchell wants to express her regrets of the victim. And it should be noted that immediately after they had indication that something was going on, even before charges were brought. The persons who were charged were terminated immediately," says MJ Caldwell, the attornye for Mitchell's Martial Arts.
The judge has postponed sentencing until Wright completes a sex offender and mental health evaluation.
