A former Banks High School teacher has confessed to sexually abusing students, bringing a disturbing case to a close. Wymon Wayne Smith, 67, entered guilty pleas to charges of first- and second-degree sexual abuse. The Washington County District Attorney's Office reported that Judge Kathleen Proctor sentenced Smith to 75 months in prison on Wednesday. The conviction also entails a decade of post-prison supervision and the requirement for Smith to register as a sex offender, as detailed in an announcement from the DA's office.
Prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Matt Wise, the case centered around Smith's interactions with students at the high school where he taught. Incidents began with inappropriate flirtation and escalated to sexual contact. In one instance on January 6, 2025, while alone with the victim in a classroom, Smith asked the student to close the door for a "real hug," during which he touched the minor inappropriately and acknowledged that he "shouldn’t be doing this." This behavior came to light when the victim shared the incident with a friend, ultimately alerting authorities and leading to Smith's immediate leave and subsequent termination from the school. Smith's teaching certification has since been revoked, as per the DA's office.
Further investigation into Smith's conduct revealed an additional victim, another student with whom he had engaged in similarly predatory behavior, including explicit sexual text messages and non-consensual sexual contact. In their press release, the District Attorney's office praised the victims for their bravery in coming forward and acknowledged the efforts of the Washington County Sheriff's Office in the investigation.
