A pretrial hearing scheduled for Thursday morning in Custer County District Court for Krystina Rugg, 40, of Sargent, has been continued following approval of a motion by Judge Karin Noakes.
Court filings show the continuance was requested to allow additional time for plea discussions. The state did not object to the request.
Rugg is now scheduled to appear for a pretrial conference on Sept. 24, 2026. A jury trial remains scheduled for Oct. 19, 2026.
Rugg pleaded not guilty in January to charges of first-degree sexual abuse by a school employee and third-degree sexual abuse by a school employee tied to allegations from May 2025.
According to court records, investigators received information from students regarding alleged exchanges of nude images involving Rugg through shared social media platforms. One student also reported an alleged encounter involving sexual conduct.
An earlier request to postpone proceedings in the case had also been approved by the court.
In a statement released in September 2025, Sargent Public Schools said Rugg had resigned from her position as a para-educator before school officials became aware of the allegations.
Rugg remains free on bond after posting 10% of a $25,000 bond requirement.
