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LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) At the end of a trial hearing, a former teacher's aide was sentenced to 15 years and eight months in prison for messaging teen boys over social media to coerce them into having sex. Ellen Phillips, formerly known as Ellen Shell, 39, had her sentence announced on April 26, according to the Department of Justice. Phillips entered her guilty plea on Jan. 12 to the charge of using the Internet to attempt to entice a minor to engage in sexual conduct. The department said she admitted to messaging teenage boys between the ages of 14 and 16 on Facebook and Instagram, asking to have sex with them. The US Attorney's Office said they prosecuted Phillips' case as part of "Project Safe Childhood," a DOJ initiative established in 2006 to promote internet safety for children. According to the DOJ, Phillips must serve 85% of her sentence before she reaches parole eligibility. The department said that once Phillips is released from prison, she will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.
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