Ragusa appears in court today

Tampa, Florida — More charges for a Hillsborough County teacher accused of having sex with students. She's been arrested for a third time.

Hillsborough Sheriff's investigators say 29-year-old Stephanie Ragusa continued a sexual relationship with one of the two students she'd been involved with previously.

Earlier this month, authorities charged her with Lewd or Lascivious Battery and two counts Sex with a Certain Minor.

In that case, investigators say she was 27-years-old when she first had sexual intercourse with the 15-year-old. The child was Ragusa's student at Davidson Middle School in Tampa and that she provided the victim with a contraceptive for the sex act.

Ragusa was arrested on similar charges in mid-March involving sex with a 14-year-old boy.

Detectives say Ragusa was arrested again today on two new charges, after she was caught having sex with one of the same former students early this afternoon. They believe she also had sex with the student back on April 5^th.

“I can assure you that we are doing everything we can do right now to make sure that she not out at liberty to do this again,” said Lt. Fred Asteasuainzarra, a detective with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

Ragusa was all smiles as deputies brought her out of the Criminal Investigations Bureau for transport to the Orient Road Jail. Investigators say she refused to answer questions about the case.

“We are following every lead and every piece of information we get,” Lt. Asteasuainzarra said.

Previous stories:

• March 18, 2008 - Teacher charged with having sex with student: bonds out of jail