Daniel Reilly, the former sixth grade English teacher who admittedly had repeated sexual encounters with a student, has pleaded guilty to the statutory rape of the 13-year-old girl.
The 36-year-old took a plea deal that places him in protective custody and sends him off to Rikers Island for six months.
Daniel Reilly
When Reilly gets released he is mandated to go to sex offender therapy classes. In addition to being on probation for a total of ten years, he surrendered his teaching license.
The reason that Reilly was given the deal was partly to spare the victim from having to testify. She has since turned 14. Reilly was also given permission to take two bottles of an unknown prescription medication with him.
According to the charges against him, Reilly, a husband and the father of an infant girl, had sex on multiple occasions with the student, while his wife and baby were out.
He had persuaded the girl to use a texting code over the phone with him so that no one would discover their relationship.
The illicit affair continued up until a month before the girl’s sister discovered the lewd texts and reported them to her parents, who in tun went to the school and the authorities.
Reilly’s attorney, Eric Franz likened his clients situation to that of politicians and public figures who have been caught for sexual transgressions. “He was thinking with the lower half of his body,” Franz stated. “He made a mistake.”
The fact that his wife, an attorney, has stayed by her husband has been a source of talk since his arrest in April. Annmarie Reilly was there to post Reilly’s $30,000 bail and was also at his next hearing.
Moments before he officially took his plea deal, his wife was with him at the court house where they kissed passionately and embraced.
Published reports say the couple will move to Long Island after he is released to start a new life.
Sentencing for the ex-Marine is slated for July 22.
“This case should serve as a clear and unmistakable warning that law enforcement is prepared under any circumstances to apprehend and prosecute sexual predators who betray and defile youngsters,” Brown said.
The former teacher at IS 237 in Flushing served in the US Marines for 5 years and received an honorable discharge in 2000. He engaged in a seven month tryst continually raping a student.
Reilly was also fund to have had over three dozen friends on Facebook that were high school students at neighboring schools before he shut down the page.
