PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — A high school teacher has been arrested following an investigation into alleged sexual activity with a student on campus, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.
Detectives with the agency’s Major Crimes Unit said they were alerted to the allegations on April 29 involving a teacher at Port Charlotte High School on Cochran Boulevard. Through the investigation, authorities developed probable cause to arrest Heather M. Mashburn-Smith, 37, for engaging in sexual intercourse with a 17-year-old student on school grounds on two occasions within the past month.
Officials said Mashburn-Smith provided a post-Miranda statement to detectives. She has been charged with unlawful activity with certain minors under Florida law, a charge enhanced to a first-degree felony due to her position as a teacher.
Mashburn-Smith was taken into custody and booked into the Charlotte County Jail, where she was still being processed at the time of the announcement.
School officials said the teacher has been placed on administrative leave.
“The actions of this individual are a direct violation of the duty every educator owes to students and families,” said Superintendent Mark Vianello. “We will not tolerate anything that compromises student safety. This individual has been placed on administrative leave as we work closely with law enforcement and pursue full accountability. Our focus remains on protecting our students and responding decisively.”
Sheriff Bill Prummell said the case underscores the seriousness of such allegations. “What this woman has done is not just unlawful, it is damaging to the students and staff around her,” he said. “Teachers are meant to be people that students can trust and seek out for mentorship, guidance, and encouragement. This individual took advantage of that vulnerability and preyed on one of the people she was entrusted to protect.”
The investigation remains ongoing.