A corrupt Connecticut middle school guidance counselor who allegedly sent nude photos to a 13-year-old student and gave her a lap dance was photographed leaving court on Tuesday for the first time since his July arrest.
Luisa Melchionne, 47, faces multiple charges for an alleged sexual relationship with a 13-year-old student, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. Authorities discovered the charges several months after a male friend of Melchionne's found lewd messages “of a sexual nature” on her cellphone. The Norwalk Hour reported.
The messages also included explicit photos of Melchionne, who is married and the mother of three children, as well as financial transactions, according to police documents.
When contacted by police, the boy told investigators that around Christmas last year, Melchionne sent him nude photos, money for an Uber ride, money for a meal and $100, the affidavit states. NBC Connecticut reports.
The affidavit also stated the student said the teacher performed “lap dances” and other sexual acts with him, according to both media outlets.
The New Canaan resident was photographed leaving Connecticut Superior Court in Stamford with her attorney, Mark Sherman, after Tuesday's hearing, but Sherman declined to comment to The Washington Post.
The former Nathan Hale Middle School employee was arrested July 11 and charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor. Norwalk Police.
She resigned from Norwalk Public Schools on June 14, according to a district spokesperson.
“The safety of our students is our primary concern. Louisa Melchionne is no longer employed by Norwalk Public Schools,” the school said in a statement in July, according to NBC CT.
“Norwalk Public Schools is cooperating with the Norwalk Police Department's investigation and will have no further comment.”
Sherman, a criminal lawyer in Stamford, told The Post after the arrest that Melchionne “still is well entitled to the presumption of innocence.”
“These are simply allegations. What we know is that these allegations have been made against a devoted wife and mother who has dedicated herself to her profession for over 21 years, and the investigation into this case will take some time,” Sherman said.
Melchionne is currently under house arrest and prohibited from unsupervised contact with minors, except for her three children. She posted $500,000 bail after her arraignment in July.
