POWHATAN COUNTY, Va. — Isabella Hoffman, now 20, was once a typical high school student at Powhatan High School, living a busy, active life filled with sports, church activities, and schoolwork. But her world was irrevocably changed when she became the victim of abuse by the school’s band director, Andrew Snead, who later pleaded guilty to multiple sex-related crimes involving minors.
In 2022, at just 17 years old, Hoffman found herself confronting the reality of sexual abuse, a journey that would alter her life forever.
At the time, Hoffman had been spending a lot of time in the band room, a place where she hung out with friends. Snead, the band director, was a frequent figure in that space. Their paths crossed more often as Hoffman’s then-boyfriend’s guardian was Snead’s brother, and she would regularly visit Snead’s home.
It was during these visits and moments of isolated encounters that things began to escalate. Hoffman recalls how Snead started making sexual jokes toward her, then gradually manipulating her with small favors. She would run errands for him, pick up his dry cleaning, and buy food using his credit card, all the while believing she was simply being helpful. However, it was in April 2022 that things took a darker turn. Snead began pressuring her to engage in inappropriate behavior, including kissing, and his actions grew more aggressive.
Despite the growing discomfort, Hoffman kept quiet, unsure how to process what was happening. “I knew the whole time something was wrong,” she said, reflecting on the way she felt during those encounters. While Snead never explicitly asked her to keep their interactions a secret, his subtle gestures—like placing his finger over his lips to hush her—were signs of the manipulation and control he exerted.
The situation worsened when Hoffman, in a moment of vulnerability, confided in a friend. That friend took action, alerting school administrators about what was happening. However, when Hoffman was questioned by the school, she denied the allegations, not yet ready to confront the painful truth.
In the months that followed, Hoffman’s emotional state began to deteriorate. Her anxiety and depression worsened, and she withdrew from her family and friends. Her mother, sensing that something was terribly wrong, encouraged her to speak out. On June 30, 2022, Hoffman and her mother went to the Powhatan County Sheriff’s Office, where Hoffman finally revealed the truth about what had been happening.
Authorities swiftly launched an investigation, leading to Snead’s arrest. In the months that followed, they discovered that Snead had been abusing other minors over the span of several years, dating back to 2010. By June 2023, Snead had pled guilty to eight counts of sex crimes involving minors and was sentenced to eight years in prison.
Despite the conviction, Hoffman is left grappling with a deep sense of injustice. “It’s crazy to me that you could get so little time for all the harm— for a lifetime of harm that was caused,” she said. “It’s not that it’s scary, but it’s almost like, why would you release somebody that’s just going to come out and do it again? I just worry that it’s going to happen to someone else.”
Though Hoffman continues to live in Powhatan County, she has returned to the high school campus several times since Snead’s sentencing, even visiting the band room, though she now avoids the area as much as possible. “I want to be prepared if I ever need to be there to help another student going through what I did,” she explained.
For Hoffman, her experience is not just a painful memory but a driving force for advocacy. She hopes that by sharing her story, she can help others who may be facing similar challenges. “Anybody that I can help, even if it’s just one person, that is why I’m doing this,” she said. “If it could’ve happened to me, it can happen to anybody.”
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a time to reflect on the impact of abuse and the importance of supporting survivors. For Hoffman, it’s not just a month of awareness but a daily reality she will carry with her for the rest of her life. By speaking out and taking action, she is ensuring that her story, and the stories of others like her, are heard.
Her courage in the face of unimaginable trauma is a powerful reminder of the strength survivors possess, and the critical need for communities to listen, support, and protect those who may be vulnerable to abuse.
