An Ohio-based educator at a prestigious Catholic boys’ school has confessed to engaging in sexual activities with a 17-year-old student and sending him explicit images. Emily Nutley, 43, was charged with two counts of sexual battery for her involvement with the minor at St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati during the fall semester of 2023. The Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed her guilty plea.
Nutley’s employment at the esteemed Jesuit institution was terminated in October 2024 following an internal investigation that led to her arrest and indictment. The investigation was initiated after the student involved in the case came forward with his accusations.
In a surprising twist, Nutley’s husband, Jonathan Nutley, filed for divorce shortly after the scandal broke. In response, Emily Nutley accused her husband of “gross neglect of duty and extreme cruelty” during their marriage, as per legal documents.
The prosecution revealed that Nutley, who was the head counselor at the time, pursued the minor outside of school hours. She sent the student explicit images and messages shortly after her appointment at the school.
Nutley was overseeing a program designed to assist students struggling academically when she met the student, who was part of the at-risk group. The relationship turned physical in November, with encounters occurring both on and off school premises.
Despite the student’s attempts to end the inappropriate relationship, Nutley continued to pursue him. The school administration discovered the illicit relationship during an internal investigation and alerted the Springfield Township police, who then initiated their own investigation.
Nutley faces a potential sentence of up to ten years in prison. Her sentencing is scheduled for June 10. In addition to her prison sentence, Nutley will be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of her life, as stated by the prosecutor’s office.