A Connecticut school worker has admitted to a shocking pattern of abuse involving an 11-year-old boy. Federal officials say 44-year-old Alyson Cranick used online messages and late-night meetings to manipulate the child during the summer and fall of 2022. She pleaded guilty this week to coercion and enticement of a minor.

According to prosecutors, Cranick contacted the boy through text messages, Snapchat, and Discord. She pressured him to sneak out at night and met him at different locations in her car. Court records say she even provided caffeinated drinks to keep him awake and used gifts to gain his trust. Investigators later found more than 4,700 online messages between the two.

Police say some of the meetings took place on school property, including outside Horace Porter School. The boy eventually told a family member what was happening, leading to Cranick’s arrest in 2023. She was released on bond but later rearrested after she allegedly contacted another minor on Snapchat, violating her conditions.

At the time, Cranick worked in the Columbia school district and later as an administrative assistant at E.O. Smith High School. She was fired once the investigation began. School leaders said the case was “deeply upsetting” and stressed that student safety is their top priority.

Cranick now faces up to life in federal prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years. State-level charges remain open, and her next court hearing is scheduled for December 19.