Ex-Teacher Pleads Guilty to Having Sex with Student

Rachel L. Farrell, the woman accused of having sex with up to four teenage boys, pleaded guilty today to one charge of corrupting a minor.

Farrell, 26, faces up to five years in prison with a minimum of nine months of probation, according to The Morning Call, for having sex with a 17-year-old student while she was a teacher at Bangor Area High School.

The boy, now 18, told police that Farrell was his 11th grade reading teacher.

He said "he and Farrell had sexual intercourse numerous times at many different locations. Many times were in her car or his car parked in secluded locations," according to the affidavit of probable cause. He said some "sex occurred in the parking lot on Rt. 248" and also at the Ramada Inn in Tannersville, Monroe County.

Farrell had allegedly that she had had sex with two 17-year-old boys from the school. She submitted her resignation at the same time.

But in January, District Attorney John Morganelli said Farrell had affairs with up to four students, and had an extended relationship with at least one.

Only one of the students cooperated with police, however, and the district attorney dropped additional charges involving the other boys.

The age of sexual consent in Pennsylvania is 16. But “corruption of minors” is when someone older than 18 corrupts the “morals” of anyone under 18. The statute is listed below.

Farrell will be sentence on May 25.

Corruption of minors.         

§ 6301.  Corruption of minors.        

Offense defined. (1) Whoever, being of the age of 18 years and upwards, by any act corrupts or tends to corrupt the morals of any minor less than 18 years of age, or who aids, abets, entices or encourages any such minor in the commission of any crime, or who knowingly assists or encourages such minor in violating his or her parole or any order of court, commits a misdemeanor of the first degree.            

(2) Any person who knowingly aids, abets, entices or encourages a minor younger than 18 years of age to commit truancy commits a summary offense. Any person who violates this paragraph within one year of the date of a first conviction under this section commits a misdemeanor of the third degree. A conviction under this paragraph shall not, however, constitute a prohibition under section 6105 (relating to persons not to possess, use, manufacture, control, sell or transfer firearms).