Teacher Christal Gravlin Sentenced in Sex Case - BUMPED

Former Lisbon Central School teacher Christal Gravlin has been sentenced to 120 days in jail for engaging in sex with a 15-year-old student.

Gravlin was also given a term of 10 years probation and ordered to pay $1,300 in court costs. Her sex offender status will be determined after an assessment.

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[Previous 03/03/08 entry]
Today (03/03/08), Christel Gravlin pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree felony rape in accordance with a plea agreement. In return for the guilty plea, Gravlin will be sentenced to no more than six months in jail and 10 years probation. The felony conviction means automatic loss of her state teacher's license. It's not known if she will be required to register as a sex offender.

Formal sentencing for Gravlin is scheduled for May 5th.

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[Previous 12/08/07 entry]
(Lisbon, New York) A 33-year-old English teacher at Lisbon Central School, Christel C. Gravlin, has been named as allegedly involved in a sex scandal with a 15-year-old male student.

Authorities were alerted to the alleged sex when the boy's mother filed a complaint. The St. Lawrence County Sheriff's Department is investigating.

Gravlin, a married mother of two is a former beauty queen, having been chosen Miss St. Lawrence County Teen-Ager in 1990 at the age of 15 and was voted St. Lawrence County Dairy Princess the following year.

She graduated summa cum laude from SUNY Potsdam in 2003 with a degree in literature, writing, and secondary education.

Gravlin has been absent from school this entire week.


[Update 12/11/07]
Yesterday, Christel Gravlin was crying as she was arraigned on felony counts of third-degree rape and third-degree criminal sexual act and misdemeanor endangering the welfare of a child. Gravlin was released on probation supervision -- whatever that is -- pending further action.

The 10th-grade teacher provided investigators with a detailed accounting of the affair in a three-page signed statement that was made part of the court record on Monday.

Gravlin said she had been suffering from depression for the past year and was taking antidepressants. She told police she began drinking alcohol and was taking prescription pain killers.

Gravlin said that during this time, one of her students contacted her through AOL Instant Messaging to discuss his problems at school and they developed a close relationship.

"He told me I was young and beautiful and he said he loved me. There was something about hearing these things that made me feel good again," said Gravlin, who has two children.

When she tried to break off the affair, the boy began talking about suicide, Gravlin told investigators.

"Each time I mentioned ending everything, he reminded me of these suicidal thoughts. In retrospect, I feel it was a way to manipulate me," she said.

Kinda makes one feel wispy, eh? Poor thing.

Obviously, I'm being sarcastic. I've little sympathy for adults who act like children and then blame their bad behavior on the children.

By the way, I haven't been able to find a pic of Gravlin, which is odd since she is a former beauty queen. You'd imagine that someone took some pictures of her. [Update: Found a pic.]