A Greenwood High School teacher’s career came to a screeching halt after he was caught having a sexual relationship with a female student. Matthew Hockersmith, 41, will now spend the next three years of his life behind bars after pleading guilty to three counts of child seduction as a Level 5 felony. In addition to his prison sentence, he has been sentenced to one year of probation.
The news of Hockersmith’s arrest broke in December of 2021, sending shockwaves through the community. The allegations surfaced after a student reported their relationship to school officials, leading to an investigation by the police. Upon questioning, Hockersmith admitted to the wrongdoing but claimed that he “truly cared” for the student. It was later revealed that the two would meet up during school hours and catch up on how their day was going, and “sometimes kiss and stuff,” but refrained from doing anything sexual within the school.
The relationship progressed through messaging on their cell phones, where they would refer to each other as “husband and wife.” It was discovered that Hockersmith had been in contact with the student through messages, but the extent of their conversations was not revealed.
The Greenwood Community School Corporation acted swiftly and began the process of terminating Hockersmith one day after his arrest, showing zero tolerance for such behavior. Meanwhile, the case was pursued by the authorities, leading to Hockersmith’s sentencing.
Child seduction is a serious crime, and cases like these can leave a long-lasting impact on the victims’ lives. It is essential to remember that students place a great deal of trust in their teachers, and it is the teacher’s responsibility to maintain that trust and never abuse their position of authority. The justice system takes such cases very seriously and punishes offenders to the fullest extent of the law.
