A former substitute teacher from Missouri has been handed a ten-year prison sentence following her involvement in a disturbing case that has shaken the community. Carissa Jane Smith, aged 31 and hailing from Dixon, faced accusations of providing students with money, alcohol, and drugs in exchange for sexual favors.

Smith’s legal troubles began last November when she was arrested and charged with 19 counts, including statutory rape and inappropriate sexual contact with a student, according to the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office. These serious allegations stemmed from her time working within the Dixon School District as a paraprofessional and long-term substitute teacher.

In a significant development this September, Smith entered a guilty plea to reduced charges. These included one count of endangering the welfare of a child and two counts of having sexual contact with a student, as reported by KRCGTV. Her decision to plead guilty came amid the growing gravity of the accusations against her.

The ordeal began to unravel last year, leading to Smith’s resignation from her position in August 2024. During the investigation, it was revealed that she allegedly offered students money, marijuana, and alcohol in exchange for sexual acts or to allow her to perform oral sex on them, as detailed in a probable cause statement from the sheriff’s office.

This case highlights a troubling breach of trust within the educational system, leaving many to grapple with the implications and the impact on the students involved. The community now faces the challenge of rebuilding trust and ensuring such violations do not occur in the future.

Smith would offer students money, marijuana and alcohol to students in return for sex or to allow her to perform oral sex, the sheriff’s office said in a probable cause statement.

Smith would allegedly meet with the victims at isolated places or while her husband was away for work.

Smith was arrested last November on 19 counts, including statutory rape and sexual contact with a student, the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office said at the time. (Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office )

Victims told investigators that Smith would have sex with them at her home or other locations “such as gravel roads or on the side of the road,” the sheriff’s office said. One victim said Smith asked him to have sex with her when he was in middle school.

The victims told investigators that Smith told them not to tell anyone about their encounters or else she could get into trouble.

Smith was a paraprofessional and long-term substitute, the Dixon School District. (Google Maps)

One victim said Smith’s husband threatened them with a baseball bat after she told him they were trying to blackmail her with a video of her smoking marijuana with students, USA Today reported, citing the probable cause statement.

Smith’s sentence includes 6 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections for the charge of endangering the welfare of a child, and two years each for the sexual contact charges.