Chester County teacher charged with having sexual relations with a Conestoga High School student.
Authorities in Chester County have formally charged a Conestoga High School teacher with multiple offenses pertaining to an alleged sexual relationship with a student. Michelle Mercogliano, 35, faces a total of 63 counts related to these allegations, which include sexual contact with a minor, unlawful contact with a minor, endangering the welfare of children, and additional related charges. Reports indicate that Mercogliano is also accused of providing the 16-year-old student with marijuana.
The charges were filed by the Tredyffrin Township police. As of Wednesday evening, Mercogliano had not yet surrendered to law enforcement but was reportedly arranging to do so through her attorney, according to the Chester County District Attorney’s Office.
The District Attorney, Christopher L. de Barrena-Sarobe, emphasized the significance of trust in the teacher-student relationship, stating that the actions attributed to Mercogliano not only broke the law but also severely undermined that trust.
The investigation was initiated earlier this week following communication from the victim’s family. The investigation’s impetus arose when the victim’s father discovered medical marijuana packaging labeled with Mercogliano’s name in his son’s closet. The victim’s family learned of the alleged relationship through the victim’s sister, who was informed by the teenager during a family trip outside of town.
According to police reports, the student disclosed that he and Mercogliano had engaged in sexual activities approximately twelve times, commencing in February. The majority of these incidents reportedly occurred at Mercogliano’s parents’ home in Wayne.
Authorities allege that Mercogliano had been providing the student with marijuana on a weekly basis since December 2022, totaling around 15 instances. Communication between Mercogliano and the victim reportedly took place via Snapchat and text messages to evade detection.
In light of the allegations, Tredyffrin/Easttown School District Superintendent Richard Gusick confirmed that Mercogliano was placed on administrative leave starting Tuesday after the district learned of the ongoing investigation. He assured that Mercogliano would not have access to school facilities, noting that no other students are believed to be implicated in this case. Mercogliano has been a special education reading teacher at Conestoga High School since the fall of the previous year. Prior to her current position, she had worked at Hillside Elementary School and served as a paraprofessional in multiple educational settings.
The investigation is still in progress, and authorities are urging anyone with additional information to reach out to the Tredyffrin Township Police Department.
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