Clifton Teacher Pleads Guilty to Sexual Contact with Student

A 27-year-old Clifton High School teacher who grew up in Fair Lawn pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of criminal sexual contact with one of her 16-year-old students, NorthJersey.com reported.

Kristin Leone faces one year in jail, five years of probation and must register as a sex offender for admitting in court to "placing her hand on the boy’s genitals for her own sexual gratification," on two separate occasions, according to the report. As a result of her plea, Leone will lose a number of the teaching certificates she's earned and is barred from working for the state.

She was arrested at her Clifton apartment in May after school administators alerted police of her possible illicit relationship with a student. In September, authorities alleged Leone had sexual intercourse with the 16-year-old at her apartment and she was indicted on one count of sexual assault, one count of endangering the welfare of a child, one count of luring and enticing a child, two counts of criminal sexual contact and two counts of official misconduct. 

All but the sexual contact charges will be dismissed in exchange for her guilty plea Monday. She'll be sentenced on June 7.

Leone, who graduated from Montclair State University in 2008 with a psychology degree, had been a social studies instructor at Clifton High School since 2009 and also worked part-time for Bloomfield High School as a marching band instructor, according to NorthJersey.com.

She played in the marching band while at Fair Lawn High School.

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