Greenwood HS Teacher Arrested for Child Seduction

GREENWOOD, Ind. — A science teacher at Greenwood High School has admitted to having a sexual relationship with a student.

Matthew Hockersmith, 40, faces three counts of child seduction.

The victim, identified only as a female student at Greenwood High School, told investigators that she knew Hockersmith from the school and was a teacher’s assistant in one of his classes.

The victim said her relationship with Hockersmith began sometime in October 2021. She said that “it started with just flirting with each other, and then things just got too serious too quick,” according to court documents.

According to court papers, Hockersmith and the victim exchanged sexually explicit text messages and nude photos.

Court papers said the victim and Hockersmith would meet between class periods during the school day to talk and kiss.

The victim told investigators she and Hockersmith had sex three times, twice in Hockersmith’s mini-van and once at his home. When asked if the sexual encounters were consensual, the victim said that “internally, she didn’t want to, but she told Hockersmith yes when they had sex,” court papers said.

Hockersmith said the inappropriate communication with the victim began in the fall, and that “things started getting worse when emotions got involved,” according to court documents. Hockersmith told police he felt that the emotions between himself and the victim were “consensual.”

According to court papers, Hockersmith said things “just started out with hugging” but progressed to sex on three different occasions. He admitted to exchanging nude photographs with the victim and to meeting with the victim between class periods at school.

Hockersmith told police he felt guilty about what was going on and took responsibility for what happened.

After his interviews with police, Hockersmith was arrested and taken to the Johnson County Jail.