School counselor sentenced to jail for raping teenage boy
MEDFORD, MA (WHDH) -
A former guidance counselor and teacher at Medford Regional Vocational Technical High School was sentenced to jail Thursday for raping a 15-year-old student back in 2014.
Jenna Tarabelsi, of Waltham, appeared in Middlesex Superior court, where a jury found her guilty on two counts of child rape.
The jury found that Tarabelsi, then 28, sexually assaulted one of her male students.
Police said Tarabelsi and the boy had a nine-month, sexual relationship that began when he came to her for help.
A judge told the court that the victim went to Tarabelsi seeking advice about his first girlfriend, who had cheated on him.
Prosecutor Tom Brant argued that Tarabelsi be sentenced to 10 years behind bars for victimizing the boy. The defense argued that the boy said it was a mutually agreeable event.
Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said that Tarabelsi took advantage of her position of authoritiy to sexually assault the student.
Tarabelsi was sentenced to up to 3.5 years in prison and will be required to register as a lifetime sex offender. She plans to appeal the ruling.