A high school counselor exploited her authority to groom and sexually abuse a vulnerable 15-year-old student, receiving a sentence of up to 40 years in prison.
Details of the Abuse
Jessica Finley, who served as a counselor and volleyball coach at McDowell High School in North Carolina, targeted the girl during sessions meant to address her anxiety in her freshman year from 2023 to 2024. The grooming began when the student was 14 and escalated to sexual acts, including encounters in Finley’s school office and kissing.
Court documents reveal that text messages between them detailed their sexual activities and future plans. Finley promised to leave her husband and children to be with the girl. Most acts occurred after the victim turned 15, though North Carolina’s age of consent is 16.
Discovery and Legal Proceedings
The girl’s parents discovered the explicit texts and reported them to authorities, prompting Finley’s resignation in February 2024. The victim described feeling trapped after Finley threatened self-harm when she tried to end the sessions.
Finley rejected a plea deal in April before pleading guilty to 16 charges, including performing a sex act with a student and offenses involving a child under 15. Prosecutors highlighted her abuse of power.
Sentencing and Victim Statements
On Thursday, Finley sobbed in court, apologizing for the pain inflicted on the victim, her family, her own family, and her children. She faces a minimum of 28 years and a maximum of 40 years behind bars.
The victim’s sister labeled Finley a “predator lurking behind the walls of the counseling office, waiting for a victim.” Their mother added, “We would have beat the door hinges off that building to save her from that monster.”
