Connecticut faculty worker Alyson Cranick pleads responsible to coercing 11 12 months previous boy earlier than sexual assault

A former Connecticut faculty paraprofessional admitted to creepily texting an 11-year-old boy almost 5,000 instances, coercing him with items together with Apple AirPods and caffeine earlier than sexually assaulting him.
Alyson Cranick pleaded responsible to federal prices of coercion and enticement of a minor to interact in sexual exercise, the US Lawyer’s Workplace for the District of Connecticut introduced Tuesday.
The 44-year-old married mom of two lured the kid to satisfy up along with her over a course of a number of months in 2022, driving him to a number of completely different areas the place she compelled him “to interact in sexually express conduct along with her.”
Cranick was an administrative assistant at E.O. Smith Excessive Faculty in Mansfield till she was fired in September 2023.
The kid predator met with the boy not less than 14 instances, in some instances with the general public faculty worker coercing the boy to sneak out of his house after midnight.
She would drive him to both Columbia Lake, Horace Porter Faculty in Columbia or the Salmon River State Forest in Colchester the place she would sexually assault the minor in her automotive, the Hartford Courant reported, citing court docket paperwork.
In the course of the late-night exploits, Cranick would purchase caffeinated drinks for the boy to remain awake and even provided to items like Apple AirPods and a pellet gun.
Cranick first started messaging the boy over textual content and Snapchat earlier than suggesting they use the favored messaging platform Discord.
The change in messaging apps got here after Cranick realized that one of many youngster’s relations would examine the teenager’s messages and social media accounts, he informed the Connecticut State Police, based on the outlet.
Between July and October 2022, Cranick and the boy messaged a whopping 4,700 instances on Discord, investigators revealed.
She even made the boy a bracelet with the acronym “BFFLWB,” that means “Finest Mates for Life With Advantages,” arrest warrants claimed.
The preteen boy minimize off contact with and refused to satisfy up with Cranick after she “emotionally manipulated him into spending extra time along with her,” the warrant acknowledged.
The perverted faculty official had beforehand denied any wrongdoing and “downplayed any inappropriate reasoning for speaking” with the boy.
Officers launched an investigation into Cranick’s then-alleged sexual assault in September 2023.
She was arrested and charged by state regulation enforcement in November of that 12 months.
Federal prices had been handed right down to Cranick in July 2024.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Little one Exploitation Process Drive and the Connecticut State Police’s Japanese District Main Crime Unit.
Cranick might face life in jail with a compulsory minimal of 10 years imprisonment.
Her sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 12, 2026.
