FORMER SPRINGBORO TEACHER FOUND GUILTY
Prosecutor to seek a ‘significant’ prison term for John Austin Hopkins.
More than 30 Springboro parents rejoiced as a jury late Friday night found former Springboro teacher John Austin Hopkins guilty on 34 of 36 counts of gross sexual imposition after almost 11 hours of deliberation.
Hopkins, 25, of Springboro, was accused of sexually touching 28 girls during his first-grade gym class at Clearcreek Elementary School from December 2018 to March 2019.
“We’re excited for the verdicts we got in the case. We feel the prosecution presented a flawless case and the jury was able to see through the defense,” a father said after the five-day trial ended.
Judge Robert Peeler ordered Hopkins taken into custody, pending a sentencing hearing. Hopkins is expected to be sentenced in mid-April. He faces up to five years in prison on each count.
Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell said his office would seek a “significant” prison term.
The investigation into Hopkins behavior began in March 2019 after a first-grade girl at the time came home and told her parents how happy she was to have finally gotten to sit on the teacher’s lap.
“We’re extremely thankful for the parent that came forward initially,” the father added.
Hopkins was a substitute teacher for the district before he became a teacher and one of his recommendations for the job came from former Superintendent Dan Schroer. Hopkins, who has a master’s degree in public health, turned over his laptop to a detective as the jury began deliberations.
As Peeler read through the counts, Hopkins’ mother, who is a teacher in the Springboro school district, grew more and more agitated and his father yelled encouragement as Hopkins was taken from the courtroom.
Parents thanked Springboro
Police Detective terry Dunkel, who led the investigation.
During closing arguments, Hopkins’ lawyer told the jury they should trust in science and accept the opinion of a clinical psychologist that the former springboro gym teacher could not have been sexually gratified by his interactions.
Prosecutor Kevin Hardman took jurors through the cases involving the girls over the four-month period captured on surveillance video of the Clearcreek elementary school gym, describing graphically the alleged sex acts, while their first grade school pictures were projected on a big screen.
Hardman ended with the girl who came home and told her parents how excited she was to have gotten to sit on the teacher’s lap.
“Her disclosure that day put an end to this abuse,” Hardman said.
Hopkins’ lawyer acknowledged “it’s as inappropriate as it can be” and expressed sympathy for the parents.
“You cannot be influenced by sympathy,” David A. Chicarelli said.
Chicarelli reminded the jury they were expected to consider Hopkins not guilty until proven so beyond a reasonable doubt.
He urged the jury to accept the testimony of two psychologists, including one who diagnosed him as suffering from Autism spectrum Disorder, thus incapable of sexual gratification.
“thank God he has been finally diagnosed so nothing like this will ever happen again,” the elder Chicarelli added.
Prosecutor Julie Kraft charged Hopkins with lying to police and setting the groundwork for his defense during his interview with police.
“He felt their little bodies every which way possible,” Kraft said.
Kraft also discredited the diagnosis and suggested there were other findings indicating Hopkins is a pedophile.
A lawsuit filed by parents of some of the girls claiming the school district and its leaders failed to protect the children from a former teacher accused of sexually abusing them in class is pending in federal court.
the lawsuit also names the springboro Community City schools, schroer and Carrie Corder, the principal at Clearcreek elementary, where the alleged crimes occurred.
the lawsuit filed in U.s. District Court in Cincinnati claims, among other things, that Hopkins installed a doorbell on the gymnasium door to alert him when school staff wanted access and locked the classroom door to keep others out.
the lawyer, Angela Wallace, also filed a complaint with the U.s. Department of education, claiming the springboro school district was violating the parents’ rights by failing to turn over surveillance video involving Hopkins and their children. this also still is pending.
following the verdict, the springboro school district sent out an email to parents. it said:
“springboro schools supports the jury’s verdict in full. Mr. Hopkins’ behavior is unacceptable, and will not be tolerated now, or ever, within springboro schools. As stated previously, springboro schools is a family, and as a family, we are not impervious to difficult times. Yet, we together are always here for one-another, hand-inhand, to support those in need.”
“No child, or family, should ever have to experience what many of our springboro families have gone through over this past year, and beyond. the actions taken by Mr. Hopkins caused a great deal of pain for numerous individuals in our community.”
“the district is confident, given the numerous safeguards in place, that springboro schools will provide a safe and secure environment for all our students. our hearts are with those families affected, and we are forever grateful to those who worked diligently to bring Mr. Hopkins to justice.”