PROSECUTORS OFFER 15-YEAR PLEA DEAL TO ACCUSED CHS TEACHER

Essex County prosecutors are offering a 15-year plea deal to accused Columbia High School teacher Nicole Dufault, who is alleged to have had sexual relations with six students, all of them minors.

During a pre-arraignment hearing today before Essex County Superior Court Judge Michel Ravin, Assistant Prosecutor Gina Iosim informed the judge that the plea agreement had been offered.

In addition to 15 years behind bars, the plea agreement would also include a life-time probation and a requirement to register as a sex offender under Megan's Law.

But Tim Smith, Dufault's attorney, said afterward that she would likely reject the offer and plead not guilty during her arraignment, which is set for April 6.

She is also applying for pre-trial intervention, a program that would allow her as a first-time offender to seek to have the charges dismissed, but which would be unlikely.

See the proceedings below:




Default, 35, was arrested last September and later charged with 40 counts of sexual assault related to acts of alleged sexual activity with CHS students. She is free on $500,000 bail.

Smith has said she is the victim.

He offered more comments in an interview outside the courthouse after the hearing today.