Key Point Summary – School Counselor

• Emily Nutley, 43, sentenced to 3 years in prison for misconduct
• She admitted to multiple encounters, including in her school office
• Nutley exchanged photos and gave the teen money and test answers
• The teen said she used emotional pressure to continue the contact
• Her husband filed for divorce after the scandal broke
• Nutley must register as a Tier III offender for life
• She apologized in court but said she did not expect forgiveness

A Catholic School’s Dark Secret

Tears streamed down Emily Nutley’s face as she stood before a judge, facing justice for what she called the biggest mistake of her life.

The former counselor at St. Xavier High School, a respected Jesuit boys’ school in Cincinnati, admitted to inappropriate contact with a 17-year-old student — not once, but several times, including inside her office.

‘I’ve Lost Everything’

Nutley, 43, told the court she accepted responsibility and lived daily with regret.

“I crossed a line that should never have been crossed,” she said. “I’ve lost my husband, my home, my friends.”

Her husband filed for divorce just weeks after her termination in October 2023, and she now lives apart from her children.

Student Was Emotionally Manipulated

Court records revealed Nutley had also exchanged personal messages, given the teen a monthly allowance, and even shared test answers.

The student said she used emotional pressure to continue the relationship. “She said she would harm herself if I stopped talking to her,” the teen said through a statement read in court.

Breaking Trust

Prosecutors said Nutley took advantage of her role at the school, where she was supposed to help vulnerable students.

“She preyed on someone who trusted her,” prosecutors argued while asking for a five-year sentence.

Sentence Handed Down

The judge sentenced Nutley to three years in prison, followed by five years of probation.

She pleaded guilty to two third-degree felony counts and will now register as a Tier III offender — the most severe level under state law — requiring ongoing updates every 90 days for the rest of her life.

Defense Cites Mental Health Struggles

A psychologist hired by the defense said Nutley was struggling with both mental health issues and substance abuse.

Even so, Nutley said in court: “There is no excuse. I have not earned forgiveness.”

Scandal Rocked School Community

St. Xavier High School fired Nutley in October after the student came forward. School officials stated that new safeguards have since been implemented.

Nutley, once trusted to guide students through their toughest years, now leaves a legacy of betrayal.

Survivor Speaks Out

The student, now 18, said the experience changed his life and continues to affect him daily. “She would not leave me alone,” he said in his victim statement. “People still bring up her name at school events.”

A Legal and Personal Collapse

Nutley will never again work with children. Her license is permanently revoked, and she faces long-term restrictions even after her prison term ends.

As she left the courtroom, she did not speak again — a former mentor now defined by one of the most serious breaches of trust a school can face.