A former teacher of the year from Mississippi has been arrested on charges of child sex crimes, according to authorities.
The Sun Herald reported that Olivia Marie Smith was arrested and charged with sexual battery and enticement of a child to meet for sexual purposes.
'We want to reassure parents, students, and staff that we are addressing this matter with seriousness and diligence.'
Anyone convicted of sexual battery in Mississippi faces up to 30 years in prison, according to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network.
Mississippi state law notes that anyone convicted of enticement of a child to meet for sexual purposes faces a minimum prison sentence of two years and a 10-year maximum, plus a fine of up to $10,000.
Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Calvin Taylor set Smith's bond at $100,000 during a probable cause hearing Thursday
Smith was an assistant principal at the Oak Park Elementary School at the time of her arrest, according to the Sun Herald. But SuperTalk Mississippi Media reported that Smith was a teacher at Ocean Springs Middle School at the time of the alleged child sex crimes. Both schools are part of the same district.
WLOX-TV reported that Smith won teacher of the year in 2022 when she was employed at Ocean Springs Middle School.
The Ocean Springs Police Department said it was alerted June 20 about accusations of a school staffer having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student.
The Ocean Springs School District issued a statement to WLOX saying, "After being tipped off about potential inappropriate behavior taking place involving an employee, OSSD immediately notified OSPD and Mississippi Child Protective Services."
The school district also conducted an internal investigation into the accusations.
The Sun Herald reported that police conducted an investigation and accused Smith of engaging in a sexual relationship with a student.
The Ocean Springs School District is fully cooperating with authorities in the investigation, police said.
The district said it fired Smith following an internal investigation.
Smith is not listed on the Oak Park Elementary School website or on the Ocean Springs Middle School site.
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The Ocean Springs School District said in the statement, "We are deeply saddened by charges announced today by the Ocean Springs Police Department against one of our former employees."
"We understand the gravity of this situation and the concern it may raise in our community," the school district said.
The statement continued, "We want to reassure parents, students, and staff that we are addressing this matter with seriousness and diligence. The safety of our students and staff members remains our highest priority."
The school district said it "will not have any further comments on this matter."
Neither the Ocean Springs Police Department nor the Jackson County Sheriff's Office immediately responded to Blaze News' requests for comment.
Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact the Ocean Springs Police Department at 228-875-2211 or Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-877-787-5898.
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[H/T Blaze Media]
