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Judge Denies Formella’s Bid to Shrink Exclusion Zone in Sex Abuse Case

Still free under strict GPS with an ankle monitor, Formella remains barred from minors under a 5,000-foot exclusion zone following the judge’s refusal to halve that distance.

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Former Downers Grove South High School teacher Christina Formella, 30, arrives for a hearing at the DuPage County Courthouse in Wheaton on July 2, 2025. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)

Overview

  • Judge Mia McPherson turned down the former teacher’s request to reduce her court-ordered buffer zone from 5,000 to 2,500 feet.
  • Formella remains free on bond under GPS tracking with an ankle monitor and is prohibited from contacting anyone under 18.
  • Prosecutors allege she groomed the student through hundreds of messages starting when he was 14 and abused him more than 50 times at school and at home.
  • The 30-year-old faces 55 felony counts including criminal sexual assault, aggravated sexual abuse, indecent solicitation of a child and grooming.
  • Her husband, Michael Formella, has attended every hearing and publicly supported her throughout the proceedings.