Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Teacher, 35, facing six years in jail after turning classroom into sex den for teenage boys

Danielle Matko performed sex acts on teenage boy and showed breasts to pupils

Chris Baynes
Tuesday 03 October 2017 12:06 BST
Danielle Matko performed sex acts on a boy in her classroom
Danielle Matko performed sex acts on a boy in her classroom (San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office )

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A teacher who turned her classroom into a sex den for pupils is facing six years behind bars.

Danielle Matko, 35, stripped and performed sex acts for teenage boys during free periods and after classes.

She was caught after police were passed a photo of her naked breasts taken by one of the pupils.

The English teacher performed oral sex on one 15-year-old boy at East Palo Alto Aspire Phoenix Academy near San Jose, California.

She also showed touched the victim sexually and allowed him and a second 15-year-old boy to touch her bare breasts, the San Jose Mercury News reported.

She was convicted on one count of oral copulation with a minor and four counts of lewd acts on a minor at San Mateo Superior Court this week and jailed on Friday.

The crimes took place between 1 September and 14 November 2015.

Prosecutors were said to be considering charges relating to another pupil.

“Female teachers who commit offences such as this are fairly few and far between,” said deputy district attorney Karen Guidotti. “But we see it.”

She said Matko faced a jail term of about six years and will have to sign the sex offenders' register.

Matko denied the allegations but did not give evidence during her trial. She will be sentenced on December 1.

Matko was fired by the school following her arrest in December.

“East Palo Alto Phoenix Academy is committed to the safety and security of each of our students,” said a school spokesman. “When the allegations were first made in this case, we chose to terminate employment of Ms Matko. We also co-operated with law enforcement’s investigation of the allegations.”

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in