Ellen Phillips faces a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. (Representative pic)
A former teacher's aide has admitted in federal court to having "numerous" sexual relationships with teenage boys while working at an elementary school in Kentucky, US. According to the New York Post, Ellen Phillips, 38, pleaded guilty on Friday to attempted online enticement of a minor to engage in sexual conduct. Her victims were boys between the ages of 14 and 16. She confessed before the judge that she would sometimes have sex with multiple boys at the same time.
"Phillips would communicate with the victims via Snapchat, Facebook, or text messaging and, in many instances, would meet the victims for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity," a statement from federal prosecutors read.
She also "specifically admitted that on December 20, 2022, she attempted to entice a 15-year-old minor to engage in sexual activity. In this conversation, Phillips messaged the victim using Facebook and repeatedly attempted to get the victim to sneak out of his house for sexual activity," the statement added.
The press release noted that when the boy told her that he could not leave, she offered him alcohol and oral sex if he could sneak out. It also said that the 38-year-old offered the victim excuses that he could tell his mother as to why he had to leave the house.
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Speaking to Fox 56, one of the victims' mothers said that she went to high school with Phillips and that their children grew up together. "These boys are not aware of the laws that protect them and would not come forward because they thought they would be in trouble," the mother said.
Her son reportedly told her that the 38-year-old brought them alcohol 3 to 4 times. "I can't wrap my mind around the extent of what she's done," she said.
Ellen Phillips was arrested in April 2023 when two minors came forward and said she had raped them on three separate occasions.
She now faces a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. State prosecutors will consider dropping charges as a result of Phillips' federal guilty plea.
"The U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse," the statement said.