Samantha Meyer-Davis, 32, of Rutland, pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child on April 30.

On Monday, she was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand in Sioux City. In issuing the 20-year sentence, Strand described Myer-Davis as “every parent’s worst nightmare when sending kids to school.”

In an announcement issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Strand is quoted as saying that there is “no way to overstate how serious and aggravated this is.”

The judge also said that the behaviour of Meyer-Davis was not a one-time mistake. The attorney’s office quoted him as saying “there was no indication this would have stopped on its own. This only ended because law enforcement got involved.”

In a plea agreement, Meyer-Davis admitted to having a sexual relationship with a female student under the age of 18 between May 2022 and Nov. 14, 2023. This relationship included the production of visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct, according to federal court documents.

Rumors about the teacher’s inappropriate relationship with the student first surfaced in the fall of 2022. District administrators met with her twice in August 2022 and once in September 2022 to question her about the rumors.

A complaint about Meyer-Davis was filed with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office on Sept. 7, 2023. An investigation ensued.

A November 2023 search that included electronic devices revealed sexually explicit text messages, photos and videos involving Meyer-Davis and the student dating back to Oct. 19, 2022, according to court records.

A state arrest warrant was issued on Feb 23, 2024, charging Meyer-Davis with third degree sexual abuse and sexual exploitation by a school employee. She turned herself in to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office.

The case against her was later transferred to federal court.

In addition to the 20-year prison sentence Meyer-Davis was ordered to pay $13,243.67 in restitution to the victim.

She remains in custody of the U.S. Marshal’s Service, awaiting transfer to a federal prison.