Substitute teacher gave students money and weed for sex acts with her, Missouri cops say

A substitute teacher in in Missouri paid kids to engage in sex acts with her and urged them to keep quiet, authorities say.

Carissa Smith, who formerly taught in the Dixon R-1 School District, faces charges of statutory rape and sexual contact with a child, among others, following the alleged encounters that took place from August 2023 to September 2024, court records show.

One of the victims, according to a probable cause statement, met Smith when she was substituting at Dixon Middle School. She gave students her Snapchat and they added her, the victim told a Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department deputy.

The victim said Smith sent nude photos of herself and propositioned the child for sex, according to the court records.

Smith would often pay the victim at least $100 to engage in sexual activities with her, the probable cause statement says. She also sometimes provided the children with alcohol or marijuana, authorities said.

Smith urged the victim multiple times not to tell anyone about their encounters, telling the boy “she would get into trouble,” authorities said.

Other victims also came forward, alleging Smith performed sexual acts with them as well, according to the probable cause statement. The victims said the encounters took place in Smith’s home or in her vehicle, deputies said.

Smith was charged with three counts of second-degree statutory rape, two counts of second-degree statutory sodomy, three counts each of of sexual contact with a student and sexual misconduct involving a child, two counts of second-degree sexual trafficking of a child, four counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child and one count of patronizing prostitution, court records show.

Authorities said Smith was hired in September 2022 as a long-term substitute for Dixon Middle School. She was later hired as a paraprofessional and long-term substitute with Dixon High School before she resigned in August 2024.

Smith was jailed on a $250,000 bond, according to an arrest warrant.

In a letter to parents Nov. 13, Dixon R-1 School District Superintendent Travis Bohrer said the district learned of Smith’s alleged misconduct earlier in the school year but could not comment on it due to the investigation.

Bohrer said the district has cooperated with the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office and administrators have conducted their own investigation.

“This is very disturbing and distressing information for everyone in our school community,” Bohrer said of Smith’s arrest, adding that the district has been in contact with families of the victims.

Dixon is about a 130-mile drive southwest from St. Louis.

This story was originally published November 14, 2024 at 6:59 AM with the headline "Substitute teacher gave students money and weed for sex acts with her, Missouri cops say."