Brockton High School โchoral Director Faces Sex Trafficking Charges
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Brockton, MA – Matthew โคCunningham,โ 35,โฃ the choral director at Brockton High โคSchool, was arraigned Tuesday, August 19, 2025, on charges of sexual conduct for a fee โand trafficking of โขaโฃ personโข for sexual servitude. The allegationsโ center around interactions with a 17-year-old student,promptingโ an immediate investigation and administrative actionโฃ from Brockton Public Schools.
Details of the Allegations
According to Assistantโฃ District Attorney Jason Blanchette, Cunningham โฃallegedly initiated contactโฃ with the victim through Grindr, a dating submission geared toward the LGBTQ+ community, inquiring about engagingโ in sexual acts for monetary compensation. โขThe prosecution alleges that Cunningham later transported the victim to his residence and engaged in โฃthe alleged activity,โฃ providing payment afterward.
Defense attorney Brendan Kelly stated that Cunningham was unaware of the victim’s age or student status at Brockton High School. Though, Grindr’sโ community guidelines explicitly state the platform is intended for legalโข adults (Grindr Community Guidelines).
The incident reportedlyโฃ occurred โคon Aprilโฃ 27, 2025.โ Following the encounter, the victim recognized Cunningham as his school’s choral director, leading to discomfort and ultimately, the investigation.
Did Youโ Know? Massachusetts law defines sex traffickingโฃ as the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a personโค for the โฃpurposeโ of a commercial sex โact in which the trafficker benefits financially or through โคother forms โขof exploitation.
Investigation and Arrest
theโข Plymouth County Districtโ Attorney’s Office reportedโค that theโ investigationโ spanned several months,involving the Massachusetts State police andโฃ Brockton Police. โ Theโค case was initially flagged by administrators ofโ the application used for interaction, who alerted the FBI after detecting aโ financial transaction between an adult and โa minor. โ
Cunningham was arrested at his Brockton home on โฃAugust 19, 2025, by members of the Massachusetts State Police Special Services Section High risk Victim Squad and Brockton police. โคAuthorities intend to conduct a forensic examination โฃof Cunningham’s cell phone as part of the ongoing investigation.
Court Proceedings and Bail Conditions
During his arraignment in Brockton District court,โ Cunningham pleaded not โฃguilty toโข the charges.Judge Michelle Fentriss set bailโ at $25,000 with stringent conditions. Shoudl he post bail, Cunningham is subject to home confinement with GPS monitoring, a complete ban on contact with the victim, exclusion from Brockton High school,โ restrictions on social media use, surrender of โhis passport, andโ a requirement to remainโฃ within Massachusetts.
The prosecution had requested $50,000 cash bail with similar conditions.
Key Details at a Glance
| Date of incident | Date of Arrest | Bail Amount | Charges |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 27,โ 2025 | August 19, 2025 | $25,000 | Sexual conduct for โขa Fee, Trafficking ofโฃ a โฃPerson for Sexual Servitude |
School responseโข andโ Cunningham’s Background
Brockton Public Schools swiftly placed Cunningham on paid administrative leave upon learning of the charges. โข The district released a statement expressing deep concern and prioritizing the safety and well-being of its students.Resources are โbeing mobilized toโข support the brockton High School community.
Cunningham, a โฃBrockton โHigh school graduateโ himself, has served as theโ school’s choral director since 2013. โฃ Prior to this role, heโค taught โelementary musicโ in holbrook Public Schools from 2012 to 2013. He holds โa bachelor’s โคdegree โคinโ music education fromโค Providence College (2012) and a master’s degree in music and music education from Floridaโ state University (2019).
Proโฃ Tip:โ If you or someone you know needs โฃhelp, โthe National Humanโ Trafficking โฃHotline isโฃ available 24/7 at 1-888-373-7888 or online at https://humantraffickinghotline.org/.
What steps can schools โฃtake to proactivelyโข prevent similarโค situations? โข How canโข communities better support victims of sex โขtrafficking?
The issue of educator misconduct and theโค vulnerability of students are ongoing concerns nationwide.This case highlights the importance of robust background checks, comprehensive training for school staff on recognizing and reportingโฃ potential abuse, and open communication channels for students to report โconcerns safely.โ The use of social media and dating apps byโ minors also presents notable risks, requiring ongoing education for both students and parents about online safety.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the โขcharges against Matthew Cunningham? Heโ is charged with sexual conductโค for a fee and trafficking of a personโค for sexual servitude.
- What is Brockton Publicโ Schools doing in response? The district has placed Cunningham on paid administrative leaveโข and is providing support to the school community.
- What is the status of the investigation? The investigation is ongoing, including a forensic examination ofโ Cunningham’s cell phone.
- What are the bail conditions for Matthew Cunningham? He is subject โขto home confinement, GPS โmonitoring, and restrictions on contact with the victim and brockton High School.
- Where can I find help if โขI suspect human trafficking? The Nationalโค Human Traffickingโค Hotline is available 24/7 at 1-888-373-7888.
This is a developing story. We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.
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