Apparently Bertha Cerna isn’t in any hurry to get back to Yakima.
The former teacher at Toppenish High School, arrested in Orange County California last weekend on a warrant from Yakima County did not waive extradition during her court hearing on Tuesday. The 40-year-old Cerna is now prepared to fight the effort to return her to Yakima to face charges.
Cerna was arrested in California on a warrant from Yakima County
She was arrested in the warrant on charges of first-degree sexual misconduct with a minor and two counts of furnishing liquor to minors. The warrant calls for a bail of $50,000.
Officials from the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office say Cerna and her Husband John Cerna were fired from the Toppenish School District in January after an investigation found the couple gave alcohol to a student among other allegations.
Cerna was in court this week where he did not waive extradition
Cerna appeared in an Orange County courtroom Tuesday where she did not waive extradition. As a result Yakima County Prosecutor Joe Brusic says the prosecutors office will begin the process obtaining a Governor’s Warrant to return her to Yakima.
In an email Brusic spelled out the next steps in the process;
“She now has an Identification Hearing set for Thursday, August 25. We will provide a certified ID pack of information prior to that date. We will provide the following to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department:
Certified copy of any available documents, such as warrant, presigned waivers, complaint, etc.
Certified photograph
Certified fingerprints
Our timeline is now the following:
In addition, please begin your Governor’s Warrant process immediately.
8-16-22 = 1st fugitive hearing. Refused to sign the waiver.
8-25-22= 2nd fugitive hearing. ID hearing
9-16-22= 30 days
10-16-22= 60 days
11-16-22= 90 days deadline for the Governor’s Warrant
We will start the Governor’s Warrant process immediately.”
25 True Crime Locations: What Do They Look Like Today?
Below, find out where 25 of the…
