A 28-year-old Kentucky educator has been handed a substantial prison term for sexually exploiting a teenage student under her supervision in a juvenile detention facility.
The Crimes and Court Proceedings
Elena Bardin, who is also a mother to a five-year-old daughter, received a 14-year prison sentence after a jury convicted her of multiple offences including first-degree sexual abuse, unlawful transaction with a minor, and distribution of obscene material to a minor. While the court acquitted Bardin of soliciting the 17-year-old boy to murder her husband, Michael Bardin, the sexual abuse charges carried significant weight in the sentencing decision.
Circuit Judge Samuel Spalding expressed particular disgust at the 193 sexually explicit letters discovered in the teenager's cell, which investigators confirmed originated from Bardin. "The letters you sent, which were juicy, they were things you'd see in a triple-x movie, and completely inappropriate, obviously," Judge Spalding remarked during Thursday's sentencing hearing.
Shocking Evidence and Testimony
The court heard how Bardin's supervisor had previously instructed her to cease all inappropriate contact with the student, who was detained at the Adair County Juvenile Detention Center. Despite this warning, the correspondence continued unabated. In one particularly disturbing letter, Bardin wrote: 'I know you say you'll take care of him, but shouldn't someone else do it to take the suspicion away from you?'
Remarkably, the teenage victim appeared unbothered by the abuse during his testimony, describing his interactions with Bardin merely as a 'way to kill time while he was locked up'. The boy also confirmed he never intended to act upon the alleged murder-for-hire plot against Bardin's husband. The court noted the teenager faces separate, unrelated murder charges in Jefferson County.
Aftermath and Consequences
Bardin's arrest followed swiftly after the discovery of her letters in the student's cell in April 2025. The professional and personal repercussions were immediate and severe. Shortly after her arrest, Michael Bardin filed for divorce and sought sole custody of their young daughter.
Bardin, who chose not to testify in her own defence, will now be required to register as a sex offender for 20 years following her release from prison. Judge Spalding concluded the proceedings by noting the profound breach of trust, stating: "For an educator, it was incumbent upon you to set a better example."
