Local
Bardstown teacher pleads guilty to sexual abuse of 16-year-old student, faces 5 years
Mary 'Hanna' Mattingly, 32, admitted Friday to first-degree sexual abuse and possessing sexual images of a minor, stemming from a relationship with a 16-year-old Bardstown High School student. Under a plea agreement, she faces five years in prison, with sentencing set for January.
A former Bardstown High School teacher pleaded guilty Friday to charges connected to a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student, admitting to first-degree sexual abuse and possession of matter portraying a sexual performance of a minor.
Mary âHannaâ Mattingly, 32, wept as she entered the plea in court. Under the agreement, she would serve five years in prison. Her final sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 21, 2027.
Mattingly was arrested in March after the Bardstown Police Department investigated allegations that she had sexual contact with the student and exchanged nude photographs with them. During Fridayâs hearing, a judge said the sexual contact occurred between March 1 and July 31, 2025.
The case began when Bardstown City Schools received an anonymous letter on March 26 outlining âalleged inappropriate conduct between a female substitute teacher and a student,â according to a district statement issued at the time. The district placed Mattingly on administrative leave and contacted police, who said the letter launched their investigation.
The plea brings a measure of closure to a case that has shaken the small Nelson County community, where schools are often the center of civic life. It also underscores the heightened vulnerability of students when adults in positions of trust exploit their authority.
Mattingly remains free pending sentencing. Court records do not indicate whether she will have to register as a sex offender, a determination typically made at sentencing.