Carissa Smith, a former substitute teacher at Dixon Middle School in Missouri, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges connected to sexual misconduct involving underage students. The sentencing was handed down on November 19, according to local outlet KRCG, following a September court appearance where the 30-year-old admitted guilt to two counts of sexual contact with a student and one count of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child.
Fox News reports that Smith’s punishment includes six years in the Missouri Department of Corrections for the child endangerment conviction and two years for each count of sexual contact with a student. The case has drawn considerable attention in Pulaski County, where authorities say multiple students came forward with allegations that sparked the investigation.
Smith initially faced a broader slate of felony charges, including statutory rape, sex trafficking, statutory sodomy, sexual contact with a student, hindering the prosecution of a felony, and patronizing prostitution, per court records reviewed by People. While those counts were part of the original case file, Smith ultimately entered a guilty plea to the three charges for which she was sentenced in November.
What The Court Decided
According to the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department, a warrant for Smith’s arrest was issued on November 8 with a $250,000 bond. She was taken into custody four days later and held at the Pulaski County Detention Center ahead of her plea and sentencing. The plea agreement, entered in September, set the stage for last week’s formal decision.
In court, prosecutors outlined how Smith’s conduct constituted endangering the welfare of a child in the first degree as well as sexual contact with students. The sentencing breakdown, as reported by Fox News, places Smith’s term squarely within state prison, reflecting the seriousness with which Missouri addresses crimes involving minors.
How Investigators Built The Case
A probable cause affidavit cited by People states that several underage students told investigators they engaged in sexual encounters with Smith in exchange for money or other items. The affidavit alleges Smith used social media to initiate contact with students while employed as a substitute, with communications reportedly taking place over Snapchat.
Investigators say Smith sent explicit photos to at least one student, and later arranged in-person meetings. According to the filing, some encounters occurred in a vehicle or at Smith’s home while her husband was out of town. The affidavit further alleges that Smith either paid students in cash or sent money via Cash App in connection with the conduct described.
USA Today reports that one victim told police they received $130. The affidavit also claims Smith offered alcohol or marijuana to students on multiple occasions. Victims additionally told police that Smith attempted to intimidate them to keep the conduct from being reported, according to the court documents.
School District Response
Following Smith’s arrest, Dixon R-I School District Superintendent Travis Bohrer addressed families in a letter, acknowledging the severity of the allegations and the impact on the community. “This is very disturbing and distressing information for everyone in our school community,” Bohrer wrote, according to USA Today. The district has not publicly detailed Smith’s employment history beyond her role as a substitute but indicated it was cooperating with law enforcement throughout the investigation.
Authorities said the criminal probe accelerated after the warrant was issued on November 8, culminating in Smith’s arrest on November 12 and her detention ahead of sentencing. The case underscores the role that digital platforms can play in facilitating inappropriate contact between adults and minors, a dynamic prosecutors highlighted in describing the communications documented in the affidavit.
While the initial list of charges in the case was extensive, Smith’s guilty plea narrowed the counts to those for which she received a decade-long sentence. With the court’s ruling now in place, Smith will serve her term in the Missouri Department of Corrections. No additional details about potential appeals were immediately available.
Cases like this often prompt school districts to revisit policies, training, and reporting mechanisms aimed at protecting students and ensuring swift action when concerns arise. In Pulaski County, the sheriff’s office publicly shared updates as the case developed, including the warrant announcement on social media, signaling an effort to keep the community informed.
Law enforcement agencies routinely encourage students, parents, and staff to report suspected misconduct to authorities and school administrators. The allegations in this case surfaced when multiple students came forward, leading to a multi-agency response and ultimately to the plea and sentencing announced this month.
As the legal process concludes, the Dixon community and the broader region are likely to continue grappling with the fallout. For families, school staff, and officials, the focus now turns to accountability, healing, and the safeguards that can help prevent similar cases from occurring in the future.
