Prosecutors now allege that the 30-year-old engaged in more than 45 sexual acts with the boy. They also believe she may have begun grooming him as early as age 14, long before the physical encounters began.
Despite the serious accusations, Formella’s husband, Michael Formella, has been standing by her. The two were seen walking hand-in-hand as they arrived at DuPage County Circuit Court on Tuesday, accompanied by their legal team.
Formella had originally been charged with only three criminal counts. After new evidence came to light, dozens more charges were added. On Tuesday, she entered a not guilty plea in response to the updated list of allegations.
Prosecutors urged the judge to revoke her bail and take her into custody, arguing that the charges are far too serious. However, the judge instead ordered her to wear an ankle monitor and allowed her to remain free while the case proceeds.
In addition to what happened on school grounds, prosecutors claim Formella also had sex with the boy at least five times inside her home. Shockingly, those encounters are said to have taken place during regular school hours.
The inappropriate relationship reportedly began in January 2023. According to the State’s Attorney’s Office, it finally ended in September 2024 when the student told her it was wrong and put a stop to it.
Initially, investigators thought the case might be more limited. But once they combed through what they described as “hundreds if not thousands” of messages, they uncovered even more possible illegal acts that hadn’t been known before.
These messages helped back up the teen’s claims and added more weight to the charges being filed against Formella.
