Chester County teacher accused of student sex assault surrenders, released on bail

A teacher charged with sexually assaulting a student in Chester County was released on bail Monday shortly after turning herself into authorities.

What we know:

Michelle Mercogliano posted $100,000 bail on Monday after surrending to Tredyffrin Township Police.

The 35-year-old special education teacher is accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old student from Conestoga High School, while supplying him with marijuana.

She was charged l;ast week with institutional sexual assault, corruption of minors, delivery of a controlled substance and other related offenses, but officials say she was not immediately taken into custody for medical reasons.

The backstory:

Mercogliano first started communication with the 16-year-old victim earlier in the school year through Snapchat and text messaging, according to a criminal complaint.

Police said she had provided the teen with medical marijuana about once a week since December 2024 and started having a sexual relationship with the victim in February, with the majority of the sexual contact at her home.

Court documents state that the teen’s father found medical marijuana packaging in his son’s bedroom closet with the teacher’s name on the label. Police also downloaded the victim’s cell phone, which revealed communications between him and Mercogliano.

"We heard from family members that there was a concern that there was a sexual relationship between a student and a teacher," said Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe, Chester County District Attorney.

What's next:

Mercogliano is due back in court by the end of the month.

The Source: Information from this article was provided by Chester County officials and court documents.

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