HAZLE TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — James Hudock, a former chemistry teacher who was promoted to vice principal at the Hazleton Area High School has been sentenced for having a relationship with a student.
On Thursday, Hudock was sentenced to prison for a total of 18-36 months, 9-18 months for school-intercourse-sexual contact with students, and 9-18 months consecutive for corruption of minors.
Officials state Hudock has to register as a tier 1 sex offender for 15 years. Hudock is also not allowed to have contact with the victim and needs to have supervised contact with minors or places minors frequent, such as parks, schools, playgrounds, and malls.
In September 2021, Sugarloaf Township police received a tip from Childline, an anonymous state-run child abuse hotline number, that Hudock was having a relationship with a 17-year-old female student.
As stated in the affidavit, Hudock met the student numerous times off campus, where he would kiss and hug the student on several occasions, and sent her text messages of a sexual nature.
Hudock was a chemistry teacher for decades and was promoted to vice principal at the Hazleton Area High School. He retired from the school district at about the same time the police launched their investigation.
