School counselor accused of grooming student now faces decades behind bars

A high school counselor and volleyball coach in North Carolina was sentenced to up to 40 years in prison after admitting to sexually assaulting a teenage student who she was supposed to help with anxiety, authorities said.

Jessica Patrick Finley pleaded guilty Thursday to six counts of statutory sex crimes with a child, eight counts of indecent liberties with a child, sexual intercourse with a student, and multiple felony sex crimes involving a minor, including crimes involving a child under 15, according to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI).

Finley, who worked at McDowell High School, is accused of grooming a 14-year-old student and initiating inappropriate communications that escalated to sexual relations during the 2023-24 school year, investigators said.

The alleged abuse occurred in part in Finley’s school office, where the student initially sought counseling support.

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During victim impact statements, the teen’s sister described Finley as “a predator lurking behind the walls of the counseling office, waiting for his victim,” McDowell News reported.

The girl’s mother said, “We would have broken the door hinges of that building to save her from that monster.”

Court documents obtained by local station WLOS reportedly show that the relationship included sexual relations and explicit text messages discussing future actions, with prosecutors saying most of the encounters occurred after the victim turned 15.

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Authorities said the abuse involving Jessica Patrick Finley occurred while she was working at McDowell High School in North Carolina. (Google Maps)

Finley also told the student that she planned to leave her husband and children with her, according to court records.

The relationship came to light when the teen’s parents discovered the messages and reported them to authorities, and Finley resigned from McDowell County Schools in February 2024.

NCSBI launched an investigation at the request of the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office and ultimately charged Finley with multiple sex crimes.

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Former McDowell High School counselor Jessica Patrick Finley pleaded guilty in court to multiple felony sex crimes involving a minor. (iStock)

Finley initially rejected a plea deal and sought to have his bond reduced in April 2025, but this was denied.

He ultimately pleaded guilty to all charges in the high court on Thursday.

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“I just want to say that I’m very sorry for my actions, for the things that I’ve caused, and for the pain that I’ve caused,” Finley told the court. He reportedly said.

He was sentenced to a minimum of 28 years and 4 months in prison and a maximum of 40 years and 6 months in prison.