MANSFIELD — A former Mansfield Choice Academies teacher who was sexually involved with a 16-year-old male student was sentenced to 12 months in prison by Richland County Common Pleas Judge James DeWeese on Monday.
Noelle Devlin pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual battery and three counts of child endangering on March 16. As part of her sentence handed down by DeWeese on Monday, the 31-year-old must register as a Tier III sex offender with the sheriff’s department every 90 days or whenever she moves.
In addition to being sentenced to one year in prison, Devlin was sentenced to five years of mandatory post-release control.
Before giving the sentence, DeWeese said he weighed a number of factors, saying that Devlin took advantage of the victim’s age and mental condition, as well as her position of trust as a teacher.
The sexual relationship reportedly happened from Oct. 1 through June 5 in 2015.
A friend of the victim’s family and the boy’s father prepared statements to be read at Devlin’s sentencing on Monday, both letters making mention of what a negative impact the situation has had on the family.
“You took a vulnerable, impressionable mind and twisted it to believe that this was all a normal adult-style relationship,” read the victim’s father. “He to this day resents me more so than his mother for putting a stop to all this.
“How do you explain to a child that what was being told and taught by a mentor, a teacher, an adult and a mother was all fictional lies and untrue?”
DeWeese also read excerpts from a letter Devlin wrote to him, where Devlin states she had asked the boy if he was ready for an adult relationship. The boy allegedly promised he would take care of Devlin and her daughter.
“In this letter, I’m noticing that you substantially blame him (the victim) for the situation,” DeWeese said. “So here you are, a 30-year-old woman, who thinks she’s going to be taken care of by a 16- or 17-year-old boy? You and your daughter? That taxed my credulity.”
According to DeWeese, Devlin also wrote in the letter that she was under extreme stress and not thinking clearly. She said the boy was a comfort to her and that’s what caused her to give in to his advances; she never pressured the student nor tried to lead him on.
“He was in charge of the relationship, and I fell for the support, love and kindness he gave me,” DeWeese read from Devlin’s letter.
“Based on your letter, I see that you were somewhat a victim of circumstances in your mind, and I have a hard time thinking you’re taking responsibility for initiating the relationship at all. I think you’re putting it on him.”
Despite his criticism, DeWeese also pointed out that Devlin has no prior juvenile delinquency adjudication, no prior adult conviction, and she’s led a “law-abiding life for a significant number of years.”
Devlin will be supervised by the state probation department during her probation, and will have to abide by the following conditions: She will be required to seek and maintain full-time employment, she will have a restitution of $237 to pay to the victim’s family, she will be required to legally establish and pay child support for her daughter if her daughter is not in her custody, and she will be required to participate in DeWeese’s reentry court.
Devlin will also be required to comply with sex offender conditions and complete sex offender treatment, if she hasn’t already done so in prison. She also may not have contact with the victim, nor any minors except in the presence of a supervisor approved in advance by her probation officer.
Devlin was mostly quiet in court on Monday, but said she’s extremely sorry for everything that’s been done and added she’s been praying for the victim’s family on a daily basis.
