A former Ohio high school counselor who admitted to having sex with a 17-year-old student was sentenced to three years in prison on Tuesday.
Emily Nutley, a former counselor at St. Xavier High School, a Catholic school in Cincinnati, Ohio, was sentenced to three years in prison, ordered to serve a five-year probation following her sentence, and register as a Tier III sex offender every 90 days for the rest of her life, according to a report by WLWT.
The 43-year-old sat in the courtroom with one hand placed to her temple as her mouth fell agape while she heard her sentencing from Judge Jennifer Branch on Tuesday, video footage obtained by the outlet showed.
Nutley was then immediately placed in handcuffs and escorted out of the courtroom.
As Breitbart News reported, Nutley — who claimed her husband had neglected her — pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual battery in April, admitting to having sex with her 17-year-old student while working as the director of Academic Services at St. Xavier.
Prosecutors, who pushed for five years in prison, said Nutley was the aggressor throughout the entire relationship, citing the former counselor sending her victim nude photos, paying for his pickleball membership, and giving him her Netflix password, as well as $100 in allowance every month.
Nutley had sex with the student multiple times, sometimes in her office, according to court documents obtained by WLWT.
The 43-year-old’s defense team argued there is no indication she will reoffend, adding that the former high school counselor has received threats from prison, has taken significant steps toward rehabilitation, and has already lost a lot, such as her career and marriage.
Nutley’s husband, Jonathan, filed for divorce just weeks after prosecutors indicted her.
Defense attorneys added that a doctor who examined Nutley said she is a “broken woman” plagued by mental health and substance abuse issues, WLWT reported.
Before learning her sentence, Nutley spoke in court, saying, “There is no excuse for what I did, and I will not try to offer one. I crossed a boundary that never should have been crossed, and I violated the trust of someone who needed to be protected and respected.”
“I live every day with the heavy burden of knowing that I caused that harm,” the 43-year-old continue, adding, “I think every day about the impact of my actions. I’ve lost my husband, my home, my friends. I’ve caused harm and embarrassment to my children.”
Judge Branch said she felt Nutley was not remorseful while speaking during her sentencing, and told the victim that she hopes he can see how brave he was for coming forward to his family and police.
A statement was also read in court on behalf of the victim, who said, “When the abuse started, I didn’t know I was being taken advantage of.”
“I really did not want to have sex with her, but she insisted,” the statement continued. “She would not leave me alone. She told me she would kill herself if I ended it. Even at sporting events, people yell her name at me.”
“I didn’t know how to get out of the situation,” the victim’s statement added. “I finally decided that I didn’t want her to do this to anyone else. I told the truth.”
The St. Xavier High School student also said that his relationship with Nutley “altered my high school experience and my life,” and has left him depressed and lacking self-worth.
The victim’s family had asked Judge Branch to sentence Nutley to the maximum penalty of ten years.
Alana Mastrangelo is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
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