Ohio Teacher Who Had a Sexual Relationship with Student Who Babysat Her Daughter, Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison
A former Shelby teacher has been sentenced to more than a decade behind bars after she admitted to having a sexual relationship with an underage student.
As reported by Richland Source, Richland County Common Pleas Court Judge Brent Robinson sentenced 41-year-old Stefanie Kellenberger to 15 years in prison on Monday.
On Aug. 1, Kellenberger pleaded guilty to having a sexual relationship with an underage student — which resulted in 21 felony counts being filed against her in September 2024. Those charges included four counts of sexual battery and 17 counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor — all third-degree felonies.
In addition to her prison sentence, Kellenberger must be registered as a Tier III sex offender and re-register every 90 days for the rest of her life when she is released from prison.
Kellenberger was also sentenced to five years of post-release control upon her release from prison. She agreed to permanently surrender her teaching license and to avoid all future contact with her victim.
Kellenberger was accused of sexually abusing an underage girl between February 2020 and October 2021, starting when the girl was as young as 13 years old. The victim had also worked as a babysitter for Kellenberger’s daughter.
The Mansfield News Journal reported that prosecutors alleged in court that Kellenberger began grooming the underage student when she was 13 years old and began to sexually abuse her when she turned 14.
Kellenberger “was immediately placed on leave and has had no contact with students or staff since the investigation began,” Superintendent Michael Browning wrote in the letter to parents at the time, according to the Richland Source. Two months later, Kellenberger was officially replaced with another teacher, the outlet reported.
