A Clay County jury has delivered a verdict on Thursday, finding former Staley High School teacher and coach Josh Hood guilty of second-degree statutory rape involving a 15-year-old sophomore girl in 2010. The woman's identity remains confidential for her protection. Hood was promptly sentenced to five years in prison, which is two years less than the maximum penalty for this offense.

The jury, comprising nine women and three men, deliberated for nearly four and a half hours over two days before reaching a unanimous guilty verdict. The deliberations began after Hood himself took the stand on Wednesday to defend himself, denying any sexual contact with the girl. His wife, Lindsey Hood, also testified and claimed to have no recollection of the girl ever visiting their home. These statements contradicted the woman's compelling testimony on Tuesday, where she vividly described a sexual assault that occurred in Hood's residence on January 16, 2010. Throughout her testimony, she emotionally broke down several times in front of the jury, further emphasizing the traumatic event she endured.

Close friends of the victim also testified, confirming that she had confided in them about the incident as early as a month after it occurred in 2010. However, out of respect for the victim's wishes, they had not reported the incident at the time. It was not until 2021 that the woman decided to come forward to the Kansas City police after reading a story published by KMBC 9 Investigates. In this story, another sexual assault survivor had given permission for KMBC 9 to share her own experience of overcoming the abuse she suffered from Hood during her high school years at Holden High School in 2003-2004. The survivor also testified before the jury, corroborating the victim's account.

Prior to this conviction, Hood had previously pleaded guilty to eight charges of sexual crimes in Jackson County. He received a suspended prison sentence of four years for the most serious counts and is currently serving five years of probation for those crimes committed during his tenure as a teacher and coach at Holden High School.

Hood's teaching career spanned across five different school districts, and he had most recently served as the head football coach at Park Hill High School until 2020. The Park Hill School District, along with the North Kansas City and Holden school districts, have issued statements expressing their lack of knowledge regarding the incidents described in the charges against Hood.

Attorney Jon Bailey, representing Hood, disagreed with the jury's verdict but stated that he respected their decision. Missouri punishment standards dictate that second-degree statutory rape is a felony carrying a prison term of two to seven years, or a special term not exceeding one year in the county jail, or a fine of up to $5,000 or both.

For individuals needing assistance regarding sexual crimes, the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault provides a 24-hour crisis line at 816-531-0233 or 913-642-0233. More information can be found on their website. Additional resources on educator sexual assault awareness can be accessed through the S.E.S.A.M.E. organization.