Ohio Student Teacher Gets House Arrest - Updated

(Portage County, Ohio) In December 2010, former Southeast High School student teacher Melanie K. Yusko, 23, was sentenced to 300 days in jail and five years of probation.

Yusko was also ordered to register as a Tier II sex offender.

In January 2011, the jail sentence was revised, possibly due to jail overcrowding and reports that Yusko was suffering from bouts of depression.

Portage County Common Pleas Judge Laurie Pittman ordered Yusko’s jail sentence terminated and that she be placed on electronically monitored house arrest in lieu of 300 days in jail.

Pittman wrote that her reasons for the modified sentence included Yusko’s lack of a prior criminal record, mental health professionals finding that she “poses no risk to the community,” and was on house arrest, pending trial, from May 12 to Sept. 27, 2010 “without incident.”

“The court further finds that continued incarceration would not benefit the defendant or the community,” Pittman wrote.

Yusko's aspirations to be a teacher have been snuffed by her conviction.

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Student Teacher Guilty in Sex Case - Updated
[Previous 10/13/10 post]
(Portage County, Ohio) Yesterday, 22-year-old former student teacher at Southeast High School, Melanie K. Yusko, pleaded guilty in accordance with a plea agreement to a reduced charge of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.

Portage County Common Pleas Judge Laurie Pittman accepted the plea.

Pittman said prosecutors and defense attorney Kenneth Bossin would be allowed to argue Yusko’s sentence at a future hearing, following a pre-sentence investigation by the Portage County Adult Probation Department. She said there is no agreed-upon sentence, and Yusko faces a maximum of 18 months in prison.[…]

In court filings, Bossin argued his client was unable to overcome the student’s advances because she “felt bad” for him. She had given the student extra help studying and he managed — not by her actions, Bossin said — to get her cell phone number and began sending her text messages.

The two later met for two hours at his home during the district’s spring break, which is when the sexual contact took place, according to court documents.

Notably, the plea deal requires that Yusko register as a Tier II sex offender for 25 years. A sentencing date has not been scheduled.

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Ohio Teacher Indicted for Sex with Student
[Previous 5/16/10 post]
(Portage County, Ohio) A 22-year-old student teacher formerly at Southeast High School, Melanie K. Yusko, was arrested this week for allegedly engaging in sex with a 15-year-old student. She has been indicted on one count of sexual battery, a third-degree felony.

According to Portage County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Greg Johnson, only one episode of sex occurred "to the best of our knowledge."

The encounter took place on April 7, according to the indictment. It did not take place on school property, Johnson said.

Yusko, who has no prior criminal record, had been working as a student teacher at the high school since January.

Yusko was booked into custody and later released on $50,000 personal recognizance bond. Yusko was supposed to graduate from Kent State University yesterday.