Crime Fix with Angenette Levy - Married Teacher Blasts 'Stalker' Student for Sex Claims: Cops

Episode Date: April 15, 2025

Christina Formella appeared in court this week with her husband by her side as she pleaded not guilty to charges related to allegations that she had sex with a male student in her classroom at South Downers Grove High School in Illinois. Now Formella and prosecutors are objecting to a media request to have cameras in the courtroom for court proceedings. Law&Crime's Angenette Levy has the latest on the case in this episode of Crime Fix — a daily show covering the biggest stories in crime.PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW: High blood pressure kills silently. Fight back with 120/Life. A daily drink to help lower BP naturally. See results in 2 weeks or your money back. https://120life.com/crimefix — Code CrimeFix saves 15%.Host:Angenette Levy  https://twitter.com/Angenette5Guests: Susan Sarkauskas https://x.com/dh_ssarkauskasMark Weaver https://x.com/MarkRWeaverProducer: Jordan ChaconCRIME FIX PRODUCTION:Head of Social Media, YouTube - Bobby SzokeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinVideo Editing - Daniel CamachoGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawandcrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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But you can't even give me like an idea as to what this is about? Other than just an investigation, that's all I can really tell you right now. I'm sorry. I wish I could tell you more. I have the very latest on her case, her appearance in court, and one area where her lawyers and prosecutors see eye to eye. Welcome to Crime Fix. I'm Anjanette Levy. Christina Formella is accused of serious crimes involving one of her former students and an allegation that she had sex with him in her classroom when she was tutoring him before school. Prosecutors say the assault happened at South Downers Grove High School outside of Chicago in December of 2023. A petition for Formella's detention, which was denied, stated, According to the teen, he and defendant had developed feelings for each other.

The teen said that one morning in December 2023, before school, he had met up with defendant in her classroom. The teen said that defendant had closed her door, which automatically locked, that they had started kissing, that he had grabbed her butt and she had grabbed his private parts over the clothes, that she had removed his pants and underwear, that they had removed her leggings, and that they had engaged in sexual intercourse while standing up. Now, the student's mother went to police in March after she started setting up a new iPhone for him, and police said she discovered text messages between her son and an unknown number. The woman's son wrote in one of the texts, I love you so, so much, mama. The unknown number texted back, I love you so much, baby. Even though

this morning was short, it was perfect. The teen messaged back. I know, baby, it was perfect. So perfect. The unknown number then texted. I love having sex with you. The teen responded. I know, baby, I love it so much. It feels so good. It's so passionate. It's so intimate. It is so perfect. Now, the mother had to be livid when she read these text messages. A teacher and her son telling each other that they love each other and talking about having sex in a classroom. This led police to pick up Formella on March 16th. Hey, how you doing? Officer Guzman with Downers Girl. Do you have your license on you? Yeah, I'm going to explain. I'm sure you're confused. I'll explain everything to you. You're Christina? Yes. Okay, Christina, do me a favor. Can you step out of the car for me? I know you're confused. I'll explain everything to you. You don't have anything on you? You can just grab whatever you need. Whatever I need? Yeah, whatever you need. Your phone, your purse, go ahead and grab it. Is she going somewhere? Yeah, we're going to explain everything to you guys purse your code and grab it yeah we're gonna explain everything to you guys go ahead and grab out we're not going right now of course of course yeah I get it yeah you can go

grab your things can you come with me yes yes you stay there right for right now sir just stay there but yes you. But come on back here. Should I shut the car off? Oh, yeah, yeah. Go ahead. It's off. Okay. Sorry, back over here. So, we do have an investigation going on.

We have to talk to you about it at the police department, okay? So, we're going to explain everything to you there. It's not my investigation. I don't know the full details. We do have to bring you there, though, okay? So I do have to put you in handcuffs and bring you to the police department. Just a downer. Yes, unfortunately, yes. I'm like willing to go with you. I get it, yeah. Unfortunately, we have to do it that way. Do me a favor. We just take this off. Now, Formella was with her husband. It was a Sunday, and she was clearly shocked. Can I ask you what? Of course, of course. Yeah, it's not like I said, it's not my investigation. Obviously, we are here for a reason. So go ahead and turn around for me.

So right now, you're just being detained and there is a detective that needs to talk to you at the police department. So we'll let if your husband know he can just come to the police department as well if he wants to wait for you there. I'm like I get it you have a lot of questions. I'm so scared. Yeah everything's okay we just need to talk to you at the police department that's all. Nothing else on your pocket right now? Anything else? Just your phone. Okay. Okay all righty sitting back in this car on the other side. Once you get to the police department you'll talk to the detective and he'll explain everything to you. But you can't even give me like an idea at the moment other than that it's an investigation that's all I can really tell you right now.

I'm sorry. I wish I could tell you more. Is he coming with me? We'll let him know right now. Did you know that high blood pressure is the number one risk factor for mortality? One in two adults have it, and many don't even realize they're at risk. It's a silent killer lurking unnoticed until it's too late. But here's the good news. You don't have to rely on big pharma to manage it.

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We're staying in touch with him. We're just going to Downer's Grove, though, so ten minutes away. No, I know, but I really would prefer that my husband's with me. Of course. Norske Norske Am I in trouble? Like, I'm so lost right now. Formella was questioned about the student, and police said that she claimed everyone comes after her because she is good looking. The officer wrote in a court document that Formella denied having sex with the student, but in the same breath said that the relationship was wrong and she couldn't stop it because she cared too much about him. The petition for detention states, when confronted with the text messages found on the student's phone, she claimed that one day the student had grabbed her phone unattended,

had entered her passcode, which she allegedly knew because he had seen her type it into her phone one day, had sent the message to his phone, had then deleted the message from her phone, and had saved it to his phone as blackmail. According to defendants, she had no idea these text messages even existed. So according to police, Formella claimed the student had created the text messages that I read to you earlier. Police also said they found a memoir updated the morning of her arrest in the notes section of her phone and that it was about the student and that she claimed these were an outlet for her anxiety brought on by the student. An officer said Formella wrote, I'm not upset. I'm not mad.

I'm not any of that. I've just lost interest. I went back and screenshotted every single time that I said we should break up until after the wedding and after you graduated. And every single effing time you came back and convinced me it would be fine. I initiated every single breakup only for you to end things saying you couldn't get over it. You ruined us. I warned you we should have never started dating a long, long, long effing time ago. And you gaslit me and convinced me it was fine every single time because that's who you are. We will never, ever be together again.

I'm not a second choice. I'm the best thing you'll ever have, even with all of my mistakes. You once again waited and strung me along until it was convenient for you. It broke me last time. This time it changed me. I'm not sad. I'm F word mad that I let a 16 year old F word with me like that. And I made a promise to myself that I never will let any guy F word with me like that again. Now, police said there was a section in Formella's notes entitled Manifestations that read, the teen is going to reach out to me soon and try to fix things between us. In the meantime, I'm going to live my best life knowing he's not the person I thought he was and that he is beneath me.

Police said they found another note in Farmella's phone from November of 2024 that read, the teen and I will connect again soon in a positive way. We will both get the closure we need in order to move on in a healthy way. We will be able to be a part of each other's lives forever. We will be in each other's lives forever. We will be able to love each other while also living our own lives. Detectives said Christina Farmella had referred to the boy as her stalker and that her husband knew about this, but when they asked her husband about him, he only knew about the teen as a soccer player. Now, on March 16th, the questioning by detectives ended as Farmella was taken to jail.

I'm just going to put your seatbelt on. Melissa, are you able to let me sit down there? Alright. Are you sure you don't want a tissue or something? I have a feeling I'm going to throw up. You want a bag? something? I'm feeling I'm going to throw up. A bag? That's cool. All right.

Shauna, can you grab a bag out of there? Hey, can you get a bag just in case she gets nauseous? Yeah. I don't know. Do we have any of those MSS bags laying around the spot? I figure something better than nothing. Now, the case has gotten a lot of attention locally in DuPage County and nationally. Here's reporter Suzanne Sarkowskis from DailyHerald.com.

It has drawn quite the attention from the public in the Downers Grove area. Hundreds of comments on social media. It's been one of our highest trending stories on the Daily Herald website. So people are interested. I know that the Daily Mail has had done some court coverage out here in the past, but it's pretty rare. And pretty rare for people to show up out here, the past, but it's pretty rare. And, you know, pretty rare for people to show up out here, People magazine. So I don't know how they even noticed it and, you know, why they're paying

attention. But yeah, there's high interest. Christina Formella appeared in court on Monday and her lawyer and her husband were with her. It was a fairly brief hearing, about six minutes in total. It's a large courtroom. She had two attorneys with her today. I believe she may have three overall. She was arraigned on the charges. The indictment, the grand jury indicted her on April 1st. So today was the first date where she could be arraigned. And so the judge, you know, read the charges and explained them to her and gave the sentencing possibilities, or excuse me, the prosecutor gave the sentencing possibilities. She pleaded not guilty. And then they scheduled a court date for June where they may set a trial date and discuss setting a trial date. She was dressed, I would say, very professionally.

She's a very petite woman. And that was about it. The rest of the hearing was a discussion of the upcoming date regarding whether we can have cameras in the courtroom. Now, in Illinois, the prosecution, defense and the judge have to sign off for cameras to be allowed in a court proceeding. And Formella's lawyers are objecting to the Daily Mail's request to shoot the proceedings and share the footage with other media outlets. Formella's lawyer wrote, the media request here is untimely. The defendant's court appearance on April 14, 2025 was scheduled on March 17, 2025. Daily Mail Online provided the media coordinator with notice

on April 9, 2025, and the defendant did not receive notice of the same until April 10, 2025. Daily Mail Online has provided no good cause for its failure to timely notify the media coordinator, the court, and the parties of its request for extended media coverage. Now, her lawyers continued. Since defendant's arrest, she, her family, and neighbors have been repeatedly harassed by tabloid media reporters seeking to sensationalize this case. Local law enforcement has been called numerous times. And the defense isn't the only side objecting to cameras in the courtroom. The prosecution feels that way, too.

And then the defense feels besides that, they also feel that, you know, the victim has rights not to have a camera in the courtroom. And even if even if it's at a point where they're not testifying yet, they could be in the audience and they say, you know, they don't want pictures taken of the victim. So but yeah, the sensationalism is a factor. The prosecution says the victim and his family do not want cameras in the courtroom. This case has garnered substantial public attention, both in traditional media as well as social media, some of which have sensationalized the allegations in this case. The victim and his family have already suffered substantial embarrassment by the filing of the charges in this case. Despite the use of the victim's initials in the pleadings in this case, based on the facts of

this case that are of public record, the victim is easily identifiable by those familiar with him. Any video and photographs of the parties in this case during court proceedings will presumably be disseminated to the public. Upon said dissemination, these videos and photographs will undoubtedly make its way to other media outlets whose main interest is to appeal to the salacious appetite of a certain segment of the population who has a bizarre fascination with the facts of this case. The defense also discussed social media and its objection to having cameras in the courtroom. Photographs of the defendant, body-worn camera recordings, pleadings, and law enforcement reports have appeared on TikTok, Instagram,

X, and other social media platforms. Posts and comments have numbered in the thousands. The presence of a photojournalist at the arraignment will create a heightened media spectacle that could prejudice potential jurors and the public against the defendant. And again, Christina Formella has pleaded not guilty to these charges. I want to turn now to somebody who has prosecuted teachers in the past for sex crimes. He is Mark Weaver, and he serves sometimes as a judge in Ohio and a prosecutor. So, Mark, just your gut reaction to the allegations in this case. We have a kind of a young teacher, but she's a teacher nonetheless accused of having a sexual relationship with a student who was 15

at the time. Now he's a little older. But it sounds like according to what's in her phone, according to what they wrote in the court documents, she possibly still has feelings for him and has a hard time, according to what they've written, letting go. There's remarkable evidence in this case. Typically, when I'm prosecuting a sex offender, it's a he said, she said thing. Rarely is such good documentary evidence available in her own phone. The excuses she's offered for why she acknowledges this inappropriate and illegal relationship in her phone are borderline laughable. I think jurors might be offended at it. I can't imagine this is going to go to a trial. I think she's going to be pleading guilty and hoping to maybe just limit her prison sentence to four or five years. It seems like a lot of times these female teachers,

though, and she's pleaded not guilty. She has pleaded not guilty in court. That happened this week. So she's, you know, at this point in the game, her attorney will get the discovery. He will go through it. He'll determine, you know, what he thinks the best course of action in this case should be. But, you know, she has claimed she claimed, according to the police, that the student got into her phone, somehow knew her passcode and sent these texts and then wanted to keep them as blackmail. She called him apparently referred to him as or painted him as a stalker or something to that effect. The husband had no idea who he was other than a soccer player, had no idea about this so-called stalking. I mean, there's a lot going on here. Yeah. The thing she wrote in her phone actually correspond with and

supports this young boy's account of what happened. So we have his account. We have her own notes suggesting that she was in an inappropriate sex relationship. And yeah, she's a younger teacher. And at one point she said, because she thinks she's good looking, therefore everyone's picking on her. I don't imagine juries would like that. They're not going to like the fact that this happened. They're not going to like her excuses. They're not going to like this notion of I'm the pretty girl, so everybody picks on me.

This is a tough case for someone to defend. They're not going to like this notion of I'm the pretty girl, so everybody picks on me. This is a tough case for someone to defend. The only way I could see the defense winning a not guilty verdict would be some mistake in the state's case. And I imagine prosecutors can handle this very carefully if for no other reason it's become a very high profile case. You mentioned four or five years in prison. You've prosecuted cases where you've sent people to prison for sex crimes, male and female teachers, coaches, things like that. We've seen some other cases, though, where female teachers have gotten probation. Not that probation is a walk in the park, but we've seen a lot of cases where these female teachers have gotten probation. Not that probation is a walk in the park, but we've seen a lot of cases where these female teachers have gotten like years on

probation and not jail time. What do you make of that? It's wrong. The last female teacher slash coach who I prosecuted is doing 10 years in prison for having sex with multiple boys, including one as young as 13 years old. And in my sentencing memo that I filed with the court before the sentencing hearing, I laid out not just the law, but the problems in our culture with this notion that somehow it's a big win for a teenage boy to have sex with an older female teacher. I pointed to the movies and the songs and the television shows that lionize this

notion that it's somehow a great thing for a 14 or 15 or 16 year old boy to have sex with this female teacher. It's wrong. It's child abuse and ought to be sentenced the exact same way. And we as a culture should look just as harshly at young female teachers who have sex with students as we would if it were a male teacher. So put a defense attorney hat on now. You're going to go through all of the discovery materials, assuming you're going to look at whether or not the phone was seized lawfully, her phone. She may have turned it over. It may have been a consent search, something like that.

We don't know at this point in time. You're going to look at all of that stuff. You know, as a defense attorney, do you go to the state and make an offer? I mean, how does that work? I've not been a defense attorney, but I've worked with dozens and dozens of them over the years as a prosecutor. And they have a kind of a choice at the outset. Go in really hard charging, file motions to suppress against everything used against her, file every possible motion to try to undermine the state's case, which frankly aggravates prosecutors. I'm less likely to want to work out a plea agreement

if a defense lawyer is being unreasonable in their pretrial filings. And so that's one path. The other path is to go to them hat in hand and say, listen, let's work something out. I'm sure we can make this work. That's what I mentioned earlier is her best shot is to go and try to get a very short prison sentence because she could do 10 or 15 years, depending on how many instances there were beyond the one instance where allegedly they had sex in the classroom. Now, this is Illinois, different state than you practice in. But, you know, neither side in Illinois, the judge, the prosecutor and the defense have to kind of all

sign off and allowing cameras in the courtroom. The media would like cameras to be in the courtroom for the proceedings. But both the defense and the prosecution are in agreement. They don't want they don't want cameras in the courtroom. Apparently, the victim is, you know, they're embarrassed. He and his family, you know, the defense doesn't want cameras in the courtroom. Both sides say the case has been sensationalized by some media. What is your response to that?

I taught a law school class at Iowa State for many years, and one of the topics I taught was cameras in court. And there's good arguments on both sides. Some people say we shouldn't have a media circus the way the O.J. Simpson trial became one. Others say this is transparency, and most people can't get down to the courthouse to watch what's happening in their system. I tend to lean more towards the latter. I think there is a transparency. I prosecuted a serial killer, and the entire trial was on television. It was all on crime. And that allowed people who cared about that case to follow it without having to be in the courtroom every day, which is a burden for many people. So I tend to err on the side of allowing cameras in court. So we'll see what happens. But she will be back in court in June for another proceeding. But the camera issue will be taken up later this week.

But, Mark, you know, you said, you know, when you view what we've seen so far in the court documents, you find the evidence in this case to be remarkable. I'm a little envious of these prosecutors because they've got better evidence that often than I have. And I'm able to prove my case beyond a reasonable doubt when it's a he said, she said, I'll take that burden. But I'd much rather have this documentary evidence. Nothing what she's saying makes sense. It really is the defense of a child who's been caught with their hand in the cookie jar. And it's obvious what they're doing. And so it's not been a smart defense so far. We'll see whether they have something to say. They don't have any burden in court, of course. But we'll see if they

have a different theory going forward. Yeah, it's pretty early in the case so far. And, you know, when they picked her up, she did talk to the police. So there's that piece of evidence as well. And they reference that. Mark Weaver, thank you so much. Appreciate your time. Thank you. And that's it for this episode of Crime Fix. I'm Anjanette Levy. Thanks so much for being with me. I'll see you back here next time.