Ravenna -- Saying she had to send a "clear message" that sexual relationships between teachers and students will not be tolerated, a Portage County judge March 4 denied early release from prison for a former Aurora substitute teacher convicted of having sex with a 16-year-old.
Common Pleas Judge Laurie Pittman denied judicial release for Mary E. Schnell, 26, after a brief hearing, telling her she "took a part of the innocence" of both her victim -- in 2011 -- and the community of Aurora by having sexual relations with him.
"I have to show that our courts will not tolerate this behavior from a man or a woman," Pittman said.
Seeking the early release, which was entirely up to the judge's discretion, Schnell told Pittman prison has given her "ample time to process the unruliness of my actions" and the "complete disregard for (the victim's) emotions."
She said she "inflicted trauma on an innocent person," was "immensely sorry" for the "malevolence of my past choices" and wants the chance to "remake myself as someone who makes good choices."
Defense attorney George Keith said his client has served 10 months of a 24-month sentence and that she "immediately confessed" the illegal sexual relationship took place in May and June 2011 when confronted by Portage County sheriff's investigators, who investigated the case along with Aurora and Streetsboro police.
Keith said Schnell has been trouble-free in prison. In addition to writing a letter of remorse to the court, Schnell has been tutoring illiterate inmates at the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville, will regularly see a psychologist, has a job waiting for her at an insurance agency upon her release, and will re-enroll in college and live with her parents.
Assistant County Prosecutor Steve Michniak said his office did not object to Schnell's release, and asked Pittman to place her on intensive probation and suspend the remainding prison term so that she would be ordered to serve the complete term if she re-offended or violated probation.
Pittman sentenced Schnell to two years in prison on May 11, 2012, after accepting her guilty plea on a charge of sexual battery, a third-degree felony. By law, teachers in Ohio schools may not have sexual relationships with students, even if the latter consent or arethe age of consent -- 16.
Pittman ordered Schnell to permanently surrender her teaching license and have no contact with the victim in the case. Schnell also was labeled a Tier III sex offender, and must register her address with her local sheriff's office every 90 days for the rest of her life upon release from prison. Her neighbors and local schools, daycare facilities and other police agencies also may be notified of her release and location, according to the law.
Schnell's scheduled release date from her prison sentence is May 2014, according to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections.
Email: dobrien@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-541-9400 ext. 4157
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