Former Henry teacher pleads guilty to child sexual abuse charges

A former Henry teacher pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges relating to sexual contact with a person under 18. According to KXLG in Watertown, 41-year-old Shanna Ries pleaded guilty to the charge of sexual contact with a child under 18 by a person of authority, a class six felony punishable by up to two years in state prison and a $4,000 fine. By pleading guilty other charges were dismissed including three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and a separate charge of sexual contact with a child under 18 by a person of authority. Ries self reported the incident in March of this year and will be sentenced at a hearing in August.