LEBANON — Stacy Schuler, the former Mason High School teacher who had sex with five students, is eligible for release from prison next week.

Schuler, 34, a former physical education teacher, was found guilty last October on 16 counts of sexual battery for plying five students, most of them football players, with alcohol and having sex with them in her Springboro home in fall 2010.

Warren County Common Pleas Judge Robert Peeler, who said he didn’t buy her insanity defense, sentenced her to 48 months in prison but said she would eligible for release after she served six months of her sentence. Her six months are up on April 27. Peeler at the sentencing said he believes Schuler suffers psychological and substance-abuse issues.

Her attorney Charlie Rittgers said he couldn’t comment on her case. He would have to file a motion asking for her release and Peeler would then have to rule on the request.

The five students all testified at her four-day bench trial that they had sexual intercourse with their teacher, sometimes in groups, once in a bubble bath and two of them reported they had intercourse with Schuler in the shower.

Prosecutor David Fornshell said if and when Rittgers files the motion for judicial release, he will oppose it.

At the time some people characterized this as a “victimless crime,” however some parents told the judge their sons were traumatized. Fornshell says he can’t differentiate between victims, just because some juveniles might not be as adversely impacted.

“She was convicted of 16 felonies and I think she certainly needs to serve more that six months,” he said. “The legislature has enacted a law that says teachers simply cannot do this ... At the end of the day, the law says you can’t do it and if you do it it’s a felony.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4525 or dcallahan@coxohio.com.