Ex-middle school teacher — guilty of 21 counts of sex crimes against daughter's underage babysitter — learns her fate

A former sixth-grade teacher in Ohio recently pleaded guilty to sex crimes against an underage female.

As Blaze News reported in August, 41-year-old Stefanie Erin Kellenberger pleaded guilty to four counts of third-degree felony sexual battery and 17 counts of third-degree felony unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.

'I know that during this time, you were just a child, and I was an adult in a position of trust.'

Kellenberger on Monday was sentenced to 15 years in prison for having an illicit sexual relationship with a minor, the Richland Source reported. Kellenberger may be granted a judicial release after a decade if she doesn't commit any other offenses.

Judge Brent Robinson delivered a stern warning to Kellenberger.

"Don't let anybody be confused, this is a 15-year prison sentence with the hope that you come back in 10 years, and you've been a model inmate — you’ve done everything you were supposed to do, you haven’t got in any trouble at all," Robinson stated during the sentencing hearing.

Kellenberger must register as a Tier-3 sex offender. She also was ordered to have no contact with the victim or any other minors. The former middle school teacher also must forever forfeit her teaching license.

During the sentencing hearing, Kellenberger apologized to her victim — who was her daughter's underage babysitter.

"I know that during this time, you were just a child, and I was an adult in a position of trust," Kellenberger said, according to the Source. "I'm responsible for everything that happened between us."

Kellenberger continued, "I'm so sorry for all of the emotional pain and hurt that I’ve caused you."

"I hope that my guilty pleas and this sentence will provide some degree of closure for you as you move on with your life," Kellenberger stated. "I fully accept the consequences of my actions and the sentence that I will be receiving today."

RELATED: Ex-teacher pleads guilty to sex with 11-year-old at 'play dates,' blamed boy for advances, sent him hundreds of dollars: Cops

Photo by halbergman via iStock / Getty Images

Kellenberger formerly was a sixth-grade English teacher at Shelby Middle School.

According to the Mansfield News Journal, Robinson told Kellenberger during her trial that "you had been a teacher. She had been a student. But at the time these occurred, you were not her teacher, and she was not your student."

Bryan Dove, an assistant prosecutor for Richland County, alleged that Kellenberger began grooming the girl when she was just 13 years old and that the child sex abuse began when the victim turned 14.

"The relationship continued until the age of consent,” Dove told the judge.

Ohio law declares that 16 years old is the age of consent.

Prosecutors noted that there was "no use of force" by Kellenberger.

James Mayer III, Kellenberger's defense attorney, stressed that "consent was never an issue in this case. It's an age thing."

The sexual abuse allegations surfaced in February 2024, and school officials placed Kellenberger on paid administrative leave.

Shelby City Schools Superintendent Michael Browning sent a letter to parents in October 2024 regarding the eye-opening allegations against Kellenberger.

"As a follow-up to the communication sent on March 4, 2024, I have been informed that the staff member placed on administrative leave following serious allegations has been arrested, and criminal charges have been brought against them,” Browning stated, according to a separate story by the Source. "This news may be unsettling, especially for families with children in our schools."

The Mansfield News Journal reported that Kellenberger resigned in October 2024 "due to personal reasons."

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