LIBERTY – Last Friday, former Ellenville High School teacher Tom Nolan made an about-face and pled guilty to two counts of third degree rape, of which he was accused when he was arrested by New York State Police on October 22. It was alleged that he had a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old Ellenville High School student that lasted for several months between March and October of this year. Upon his initial arrest, Nolan had pled not guilty to the felony charges — and the reversal came on the heels of the case being presented before a grand jury in Sullivan County.

"Depending on if he was indicted, he faced four years on each count he would be indicted for," said Sullivan County Assistant District Attorney Joe Drillings, who was prosecuting the case. "So taking the two-and-a-half [year sentence] sort of cut his losses at this point."

"The district attorney's office believed they would've been able to obtain multiple counts in excess of two, and that was a determining factor in Mr. Nolan's decision to accept the plea," explained Nolan's attorney, John Ingrassia, of his client's decision to plead guilty.

The prison term will be recommended by prosecutors during his sentencing on February 26. In addition, it will also be recommended that Nolan receive five years of post-release supervision and register as a sex offender.

"He'll have to report to the local police agency any changes of address, where he is living, and people will have access to it," explained Drillings. "They'll be able to know if their neighbor is Thomas Nolan." At sentencing, he continued, the judge will determine Nolan's level of sex offender, with level one being the least severe, and level three being most.

There will also be an order of protection placed between him and his victim to prevent contact, and he will surrender his teaching license at sentencing.

A few weeks after Nolan posted bail in Sullivan County, where the encounters with the minor took place, he was arrested again for criminal contempt — this time in Ellenville for having allegedly violated the order of protection against the girl. Over the course of the next several weeks, Nolan will face these misdemeanor charges in Ellenville and Wawarsing court before his late-February sentencing for the rape charges. According to Nolan's attorney, they are still in discussions with the Ulster County District Attorney's office regarding these charges.

Nolan worked at the Ellenville Central School District for 15 years, teaching social studies and coaching girls' basketball and girls' golf. He stepped down from his coaching duties before the Fall 2009 season.

He remains remanded to the custody of the Ulster County Jail until his sentencing.

"All this guy is worried about is his relationship with this girl, and he had no real concern for his wife, or his two children, or the girl," said Drillings, "because if he was concerned, he would've done things completely differently. He's a teacher with children, and we believe he took advantage of that situation. You're in a very important position when you're a teacher. You're in these kids' confidences — they trust you, the parents trust you.

"When you send your daughter, your son, to school every day, you trust that they're going to come home the same person that they left, not that they're going to be in a relationship with one of their teachers."