The daughter of an Oklahoma mayor and the wife of the town's police chief was found guilty of child sex crimes for having an inappropriate relationship with one of her students.
Former Wellston substitute teacher Emma Delaney Hancock, 28, will be sentenced to four years in prison. declared KFOR reported Wednesday that he was charged with two counts of using technology to solicit sexual acts from a minor.
Hancock, the daughter of Wellston Mayor Paul Witna and wife of Wellston Police Chief Alfred Hancock, continues to maintain her innocence and insists the victim is lying, the newspaper said.
arrest affidavit According to information obtained by KOKH, Hancock began talking to the then-15-year-old boy in October 2022 after obtaining his number under the pretext of helping with class.
Later that night, the substitute teacher sent the boy a friend request on Snapchat, and the two continued to communicate for several weeks.
Over the next few weeks, the boy said the conversation escalated to the point where they exchanged nude images and videos.
The affidavit also states that the student went to the submarine classroom and kissed and groped him twice while hiding in a closet.
The teacher also allowed the 15-year-old girl to use a vape pen, according to court documents.
At one point, the boy told a friend that his relationship with Hancock was inappropriate, prompting other students to confront a replacement student.
Asked by other boys if the rumors were true, police said Hancock initially denied the charges before admitting them, telling the student that the illicit relationship “meant nothing because you weren't going to get caught.” said.
After the boy reported the relationship to authorities in November 2022, investigators obtained a warrant to search Hancock's devices and discovered videos related to the incident.
The disgraced teacher turned himself in to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office in April 2023 before posting bond, KOKH reported.
Wellston Public Schools Superintendent Mike Frantz said that after Hancock was notified of the charges after being notified by the victim, he was “immediately removed from the reporting list and not allowed to return to campus.” Ta.
“Additionally, the district immediately notified local, county, and state (OSBI) law enforcement authorities. The district cooperated as requested throughout the OSBI investigation,” Franz added in a statement obtained by local news outlets. Ta.
Police Chief Alfred Hancock supported his wife, who has two children, during the trial and testified that she committed no crime.
“She looked me in the eye and said, 'Nothing.' [on her phone]. I mean, I believe there's nothing there,” he said. said According to NonDoc, jurors said: “She's my wife. I believe in her. I'm on her side.”
Hancock himself took the stand and admitted to forcing the student to use the e-cigarette pen, but denied anything else.
“The only explanation I have is that he was using a vape pen. I got that wrong, but that's what made the story so ridiculous. ” she testified.
“I feel like there were some instances of inappropriateness, but I don't think that defines who I am as a person or as a teacher,” she added.
Despite being acquitted of two charges: “lewd or lascivious conduct with a child under 16” and “solicitation of sexual activity or communication with a minor using technology.” He was still found guilty on two counts of solicitation. .
In addition to his prison sentence, Hancock must register as a sex offender.
According to the victim's family, the victim has been attending online school since the grooming.
“It's just too much,” one of his relatives told KFOR. “So he's going to go back online. I mean, his entire high school years were online. So we missed all of that: sporting events, prom, walking on stage.”
