Brockton High choral director charged with paying underage victim for sex act

Brockton High School’s choral director was arrested Tuesday morning after allegedly paying an underage boy for sex. 

Matthew Cunningham, 35, faces one count of trafficking a person for sexual servitude and one count of sexual conduct for a fee, according to Plymouth District Attorney Timothy Cruz’s office. He pleaded not guilty to both charges and was ordered held on $25,000 bail. If he posts bail, he will have to remain in the state, stay off social media, and have no contact with the victim or Brockton High School. 

Cunningham was arrested after Brockton police and State Police conducted an investigation that lasted several months. Authorities say that, on April 27, Cunningham met up with an underage male and performed a sexual act on him. Cunningham then paid the victim on an app. 

App administrators flagged the transaction because it was between an adult and a minor, according to Cruz’s office. They contacted the FBI, who in turn contacted the Brockton Police Department. 

An investigation is ongoing, and authorities plan to conduct a forensic examination of Cunningham’s cellphone, according to Cruz’s office. 

The victim is a student at Brockton High, local newspaper The Enterprise reported. Cunningham met him on the dating app Grindr and asked if he was willing to perform sexual acts for money, prosecutors said in court. 

Cunningham’s defense attorney said that he did not know the victim was underage or that he was a student at Brockton High, per the Enterprise. 

Cunningham was immediately placed on paid administrative leave this week after Brockton Public Schools learned of the arrest, a spokesperson for the district confirmed. 

“We are deeply troubled by the allegations in this case,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “Our priority at this time is the safety and well-being of our students, and we are making available the resources necessary to support the Brockton High School community, especially those who are feeling in any way impacted by this situation. As we have more details about the support available to the BHS community, we will share that with families directly.”

Cunningham has spent more than a decade as choral director at Brockton High, according to a profile on the Brockton Symphony Orchestra website. He also teaches piano classes, is involved in musical productions, and works as a guest conductor elsewhere. He holds a master’s in music education from Florida State University and a bachelor’s from Providence College.

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