Substitute Teacher and Assistant Soccer Coach Arrested on Sexual Abuse Charges

Substitute teacher and assistant girls’ soccer coach Mary "Hanna" Mattingly, 31, was arrested March 30, 2026, by the Bardstown Police Department and charged with first-degree sexual abuse and procuring or promoting the use of a minor by electronic means.

Authorities allege Mattingly, while in a position of special trust as a teacher and coach at Bardstown High School, engaged in sexual contact with a high school student and sent partially nude photographs of herself to the student via electronic communication. The student’s identity has been withheld because they are a minor, and officials have not confirmed whether the student was a member of the girls’ soccer team.

School officials received an anonymous letter alleging inappropriate contact, and the district placed Mattingly on immediate administrative leave around March 26, 2026, while an investigation proceeded. Bardstown Police launched their own investigation based on the tip and say they gathered evidence supporting the allegations.

Mattingly was taken into custody at about 10:30 a.m. on March 30 and initially held at the Nelson County Correctional Center. She was released on a $20,000 bond on March 31. Her arraignment is scheduled for April 7, 2026. The police investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have asked anyone with information to contact the Bardstown Police Department.

Bardstown City Schools Superintendent Ryan Clark confirmed Mattingly’s roles as a substitute teacher and assistant coach but the district has not provided further details about her employment status beyond the initial leave. The case comes amid a recent pattern of similar allegations involving high school coaches in Kentucky.