GREENWOOD — A former Greenwood High School teacher Matthew Hockersmith was sentenced to three years in prison and one year of probation this week after entering a plea agreement stemming from charges of child seduction.
Hockersmith, 41, was alleged to have an inappropriate relationship with a female high school student.
Police received a tip in December 2021 about "possible inappropriate digital and personal communication" between the two.
Upon reviewing messages from the victim's phone, detectives noticed "multiple" messages of a sexual nature, nude photos and were told the two had had sex more than once.
According to a probable cause affidavit, the juvenile told police she and Hockersmith had developed a relationship during the current school year.
Hockersmith told police during the investigation that "things just started with hugging each other, then just progressed further and further. He said that things just got out of hand."
