A former Catholic school teacher from Cincinnati broke down in court Tuesday as she learned she would serve three years in prison for an inappropriate relationship with a student nearly half her age.

Emily Nutley, 43, pleaded guilty to two felony counts of sexual battery after investigators found she had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student at St. Xavier High School during late 2023, Daily Mail reported.

The relationship began after the student joined an academic support program led by Nutley for struggling students. Over the next two months, Nutley and the teen began meeting privately for sexual encounters, including at least one that occurred in her campus office.

Text messages revealed explicit exchanges and school misconduct

Prosecutors said that Nutley sent the student at least nine sexually explicit text messages and nude images. One message proposed a sexual encounter during a school Mass, calling it “wild.”

Along with the messages, Nutley provided the student with a $100 monthly allowance, food, and, at least once, the answers to a classroom exam. Prosecutors argued that these actions further demonstrated the exploitative nature of the relationship.

Nutley, a married mother of three, especially raised concerns due to the power imbalance and the student's age. The victim was just one year younger than her oldest child, a junior in high school.

The student reported abuse nearly a year late.r

The teen’s academic performance declined after the encounters ended, resulting in three failing grades. By March 2024, he asked to leave the program run by Nutley, and rumors of an inappropriate relationship began to circulate among staff and students.

On Oct. 8, 2024, the teen officially reported being abused by Nutley, alleging at least four sexual encounters. He also informed administrators that Nutley had threatened suicide if he tried to distance himself from the relationship.

After his report, Nutley was quickly dismissed from St. Xavier and arrested later that month following her indictment by a Hamilton County grand jury. She had worked at the school since the 2021-22 academic year in a role supporting student behavior and academics.

Impact on student and family outlined in court

The victim did not attend the sentencing but expressed his feelings in a statement read by Assistant Prosecutor Elyse Deters. He described the relationship as damaging and stated that the abuse left him confused and mistrusting of authority.

The teen said he didn't recognize the manipulative situation he was in, recalling Nutley's threat to harm herself as a method of control. He said the ordeal stripped him of his self-worth and left lasting emotional impacts.

His father also addressed the court, saying that Nutley’s conduct destroyed his son's potential chances at securing an athletic college scholarship.

Judge criticizes Nutley during sentencing.

Judge Jennifer Branch sentenced Nutley to three years in prison and five years of probation. She must also register as a Tier III sex offender for the rest of her life, reporting her status every 90 days.

Branch voiced disappointment at what she saw as a lack of full accountability from Nutley, telling her she had “ruined the rest of his high school career.” Prosecutors had requested a sentence of at least five years.

Nutley, speaking during her sentencing, acknowledged the damage she caused and spoke about the personal toll the events had taken on her own family. She said she lost her husband, home, and personal relationships because of her choices.

Defense cites mental health struggle.s

Nutley told the court she was not asking for forgiveness, stating she had “not earned it.” She added that she thinks about her actions every day and acknowledges the embarrassment caused to her children.

Her defense attorneys described the threats she received while in custody and pointed to her efforts in rehabilitation. A professional mental health evaluation described her as a woman struggling with emotional and substance-related issues.

In response to her husband, Jonathan Nutley, filing for divorce in the weeks following her indictment, Nutley accused him of neglect and emotional cruelty. This information came to light through a public court filing obtained by TMZ.

Past employment and future supervision

Before joining St. Xavier, Nutley had worked at Madeira Elementary School. She was hired by St. Xavier ahead of the 2021 school year and placed in charge of a program supporting students academically at risk.

Her professional interactions with the victim began within that role, raising further concern about her use of authority to target a student described by prosecutors as vulnerable.

In addition to prison time and sex offender registration, Nutley will be under state supervision for five years following her release. She will continue working with mental health professionals as part of her probation terms.