A former high school physical education teacher in northern Rhode Island has been indicted on two felony counts of third-degree sexual assault over allegations involving a student, and she is scheduled to be arraigned later this month in Superior Court.
Prosecutors have released limited detail about the evidence, but officials say the case centers on alleged conduct that happened off school grounds in Cranston during the spring of 2024 while the teen was enrolled at Ponaganset High School. The indictment has stirred anger and questions in the Foster-Glocester community about how schools communicate during sensitive investigations, while state police and the attorney general’s office move the criminal case forward.
The defendant, Alisha Crins, 39, of Cranston, worked for the Foster-Glocester Regional School District as a physical education teacher at Ponaganset High School in Glocester before resigning on Oct. 1, 2025, district officials said. State police filed felony charges, and a Providence County grand jury returned a two-count indictment that local reports said was filed Feb. 27. Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office investigators have said the alleged assaults occurred between April 1 and June 30, 2024. NBC 10 reported that Crins will appear in Providence County Superior Court on March 18 for arraignment, the first major public court date after an indictment in the state’s felony process.
Authorities have not publicly identified the student, and officials have not released a narrative of the alleged encounters. In court filings described by local outlets, the former student told investigators that Crins sent messages that became sexual in nature and that the two met away from school in Cranston, where the student said there was physical contact. The student told investigators he did not have intercourse with Crins, and Crins denied that the relationship went beyond a kiss while acknowledging messages that included sexual innuendo, according to accounts of an affidavit cited by news organizations. The charges are allegations, and Crins is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The case has remained a painful topic in a small regional district that serves Foster and Glocester, rural towns northwest of Providence. In a statement carried by local television, the Foster-Glocester district said it had “previously confirmed” Crins worked as a physical education teacher and resigned Oct. 1, 2025, adding that it was following guidance from the Rhode Island State Police and cooperating “in a confidential manner” while the investigation continues. Residents interviewed by NBC 10 said they felt the allegations undercut trust in schools. “I think it’s terrible,” resident Sam Potter told the station, calling it a betrayal of trust between students and teachers. District leaders have not said when administrators first learned of the complaint, and they have not described what, if any, internal review steps were taken beyond cooperation with investigators.
Third-degree sexual assault is a felony under Rhode Island law, and a conviction carries a penalty of up to five years in prison for each count. State law also defines third-degree sexual assault to include certain sexual contact or sexual penetration involving an adult and a person under 18 when the adult holds a position of authority over the younger person, including in a school setting. Prosecutors have not said whether they expect additional charges. At an arraignment, a judge typically advises a defendant of the charges, sets conditions of release, and schedules the next steps for the exchange of evidence and future hearings. Local reports have said the court has also scheduled a pretrial conference on May 13, a stage that often helps the court set deadlines and determine whether a case is headed toward trial or a negotiated resolution.
For families in the district, the indictment has revived questions that surfaced last fall when Crins left her job. Superintendent Renee Palazzo confirmed in October that Crins no longer worked for the district and said state police were handling the matter, according to local reporting at the time. After the indictment became public, some parents said they wanted clearer communication about what the district knew and when it knew it, while others said student privacy rules and the needs of an active investigation can limit what officials can share. State police have not described any new public safety concern at the school, and officials have not said whether investigators have received other complaints connected to the case.
Crins is expected to appear in Providence County Superior Court on March 18, when she will be formally arraigned and the court will address release conditions and scheduling. No trial date has been announced, and prosecutors have not said when they plan to provide a fuller account of the evidence.
Author note: Last updated March 4, 2026.