A Missouri woman who worked as a substitute teacher in the Dixon R-I School District was sentenced [1] Wednesday to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges connected to sexual conduct involving students.
The case followed a yearlong investigation into allegations that she paid underage students for sex and provided them with alcohol and drugs.
Carissa Smith, a teacher at the Dixon School District in MO was arrested on 19 charges including r*pe after she was caught allegedly paying students to have s*x with her. She also reportedly smoked marijuana with students.
MAKE THIS MONSTER FAMOUS pic.twitter.com/KcJr8lquln [2]
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) November 15, 2024 [3]
Carissa Smith, 31, was arrested on Nov. 12, 2024, and initially indicted on charges that included two counts of sexual trafficking of a child under the age of 18, nine counts of statutory rape, two counts of statutory sodomy, three counts of sexual contact with a student, and one count of patronizing prostitution from a victim 14 years and younger.
Investigators said the incidents occurred between August 2023 and September 2024.
According to the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, multiple victims reported that Smith offered “money, marijuana and/or alcohol to students in return for sex or to allow her to perform oral sex.”
Smith began working regularly as a substitute teacher at Dixon Middle School in August 2022 and later worked at Dixon High School until her resignation in August 2024.
A probable cause statement said Smith paid one victim at least $100 to engage in sexual activity with her.
Authorities also reported that Smith urged one minor not to disclose their encounters.
Court documents reviewed by USA Today stated that Smith involved her husband by telling him that a student possessed a compromising video and was blackmailing her.
The husband allegedly threatened more than one minor with a baseball bat.
An affidavit cited by People magazine said Smith’s brother-in-law caught her in bed with an underage student after hearing a rumor about a video circulating in the community that allegedly showed Smith performing a sexual act with a student.
Victims told investigators that sexual encounters occurred at Smith’s home as well as other locations, including roadside areas.
One day after Smith’s arrest, Dixon R-I School District Superintendent Travis Bohrer informed parents that the district had received a report earlier in the year from at least one student regarding possible misconduct by Smith and had notified authorities.
Bohrer said, “This is very disturbing and distressing information for everyone in our school community.”
Smith was later arrested again in September while out on bond.
According to the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, she was charged with tampering with a witness after court documents indicated she was found at the home of one of her victims, violating court orders.
Her bond, previously set at $250,000, was revoked on Sept. 10.
Prosecuting attorney Jeffrey Thomas said, “The defendant was ordered to have no contact with any victim in this case. The defendant has failed to follow a course of good conduct.”
Smith pleaded guilty on Sept. 17 to lesser charges: two counts of sexual contact with a student and one count of first degree endangering the welfare of a child/sexual conduct, according to KRCG-TV.
She faced a possible sentence of up to 12 years.
KRCG-TV reported that Smith received a 10-year prison sentence on Wednesday.