Connecticut Teacher Gets Jail in Sex Case - Update

(Middletown, Connecticut) Former Middletown High School teacher Christine Powell, 40, was sentenced last Friday to nine months in prison for second-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor.

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Connecticut Teacher Guilty in Sex Case - Update
[Previous 3/7/13 post]
(Middletown, Connecticut) Special education teacher formerly at Middletown High School, Christine Powell, has accepted a plea bargain.

Christine Powell entered a guilty plea Tuesday morning at Middlesex Superior Court through her attorney, John Maxwell, while prosecutors asked the judge for a five-year prison sentence, suspended after 18 months, followed by 10 years of probation. She would be required to register as a sex offender, according to the Press.

At least a year before police arrested Powell, other teachers and district paraprofessionals had significant concerns about Powell’s behavior with the student.

Those concerns and suspicions were strong enough that one paraprofessional quit over what she felt was an inappropriate relationship between Powell and the boy, who at the time was in middle school, and another raised concerns about the situation, at least twice, with an administrator.

Powell resigned prior to her arrest, in late 2011.

It was the boy’s mother who eventually went to police in late November of 2011, after her son had been in a relationship with Powell for many months and after the boy had spent a weekend with her.

Formal sentencing is scheduled for June 7.

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Connecticut Teacher Accused of Sex Assault
[Previous 2/14/12 post]
(Middletown, Connecticut) A 39-year-old teacher at Middletown High School, Christine Powell, has been accused of second-degree sex assault.

A protective order was issued stipulating that Powell have no contact with the alleged victim.

"The allegations are extraordinarily troubling," said Judge Susan Handy.

Barbara Hoffman, Middlesex County state's attorney, said of Powell: "She violated her trust as a teacher. She took the worst possible advantage of her teaching position and position of power over the victim."

Powell was booked into custody with bond set at $150,000.