Ragusa weaves her way through system

TAMPA - The famously beaming former teacher accused of having sex with at least two middle school students was still smiling when she appeared in a Hillsborough County courtroom Wednesday morning.

Stephanie Ragusa, 29, appeared dressed in her orange jumpsuit and wearing braids in her hair.

Her attorney asked Judge Wayne Timmerman to delay a status hearing because he needed more time to depose witnesses.

The State Attorney's Office did not object and the judge set the date for September 30.

Investigators say Ragusa had sexual relationships with at least two underage boys.

>> Stephanie Ragusa evidence photos

Ragusa was first arrested in March 2008 on charges she allegedly had sex with a 14-year-old boy, and then twice in April 2008, accused of having relationship with a 15-year-old boy.

Ragusa pleaded not guilty to the charges.

She's being held without bond in the Hillsborough County jail.

Local legal experts say Stephanie Ragusa's biggest problem may be Deborah Lafave, the cover girl for Florida teachers charged with student sex. Lafave caused a national sensation five years ago, and ended up on house arrest and probation instead of prison, because her teen victim wouldn't testify against her.

In court Wednesday in corn row braids, ex-middle school teacher Ragusa's two teen victims, detectives say, are ready to take the witness stand against her.

"I'm sure the State Attorney's Office would love to find a case where the victims were ready to go to trial so they can make their point, and that is obviously, that this type of conduct is inappropriate, won't be tollerated, and will result in jail time," says ex-prosecutor Steve Crawford.

Ragusa's lawyer says he can't be ready for an August trial date.

"There's going to be expert testimony and I don't have a good handle on that timeline. I thought late September or October," said attorney Robert Herce.

With Prosecutors offering no plea deals, Ragusa's only hope to avoid major prison time may be appealing to a jury for mercy, and it better not, say experts, be an insanity defense. Lawyers and psychiatrists often point to the case of Billy Ferry, who killed five setting fire to a Clair Mel supermarket 25 years ago.

"Billy Ferry was about as crazy as they come, and nobody bought an insanity defense and he's still up in Starke absolutely insane. They're glad to put him away. Juries don't buy insanity defenses, even though it's real," said Walter Afield, a psychiatrist often called to court.

A better bet, Afield says is to arouse jury sympathy with Ragusa's reported suicide attempt and obvious, he says, lack of emotional maturity pursuing teen boys for sex.

The trial is expected to come sometime in October.