Press Releases
07/28/2023
Former Tolland High School Teacher Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting Student
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Vernon, CT) – Matthew C. Gedansky, Tolland State’s Attorney, announced that the Honorable Kathleen E. McNamara today sentenced Kris Coffey, age 43, previously of Coventry, to 10 years in prison, execution suspended after two years served, followed by 10 years of probation, on a charge of Sexual Assault in the Second Degree, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53-71(a)(8).
Judge McNamara during today's hearing in Superior Court also ordered the defendant to register as a sexual offender with the Connecticut Sex Offender Registry.
Coffey’s sentencing follows his arrest in April 2023 in connection with an incident that occurred in the town of Tolland where Coffey served as an English teacher and tennis team coach for Tolland High School. A Department of Children and Families complaint was generated in February 2023 regarding Coffey having a past inappropriate sexual relationship with a student. This complaint led to an investigation by both DCF and the Connecticut State Police Troop C. After obtaining statements from the victim student, witnesses and Coffey, police discovered that Coffey engaged in an inappropriate relationship with the victim student at Tolland High School in 2014 through 2015, which escalated to Coffey engaging in sexual intercourse with that victim student in his classroom.
“It is both baffling and appalling that we still need to send the message that teachers cannot have sexual relationships with their students,” Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Jaclyn Preville, who prosecuted the case, said. “The inherent power dynamic of teacher over student places all responsibility on the teacher to maintain professional boundaries. I hope this sentencing today is a strong message to those entrusted with children and young adults that this behavior is completely unacceptable and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent.”