A former private school teacher in Massachusetts who called himself 'Mr. Wonderful' has been formally charged with rape, two years after two former students came forward with allegations of sexual abuse. Matthew Rutledge, 64, was indicted last month on one count of felony rape connected to former student Hilary Simon and two counts of rape in connection with Melissa Fares, another former student at the all-girls Miss Hall's School in Pittsfield.
Rutledge pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Berkshire Superior Court on Wednesday and was released on his own recognizance, with the condition that he have no contact with either alleged victim, who sat in the front row during the hearing. Wearing a white shirt and blazer, he left the courtroom immediately after the hearing, passing by Simon and Fares on his way out.
Outside the courthouse, the two women spoke out. Simon, 39, told reporters, 'Today, Matthew Rutledge was arraigned for raping me. He began grooming me at 15 years old... and his abuse of me continued for years after I left that campus.' Fares, 33, said the arraignment is 'so many things - long overdue, earned. Today I was in the same room as Matt Rutledge and for the first time I held the power.'
In a statement, Miss Hall's School, which charges up to $75,600 a year for international boarders, said the arraignment was an 'important and painful moment for our community.' The school acknowledged the 'sexual misconduct that is a painful part of our school's history' and apologized for the harm suffered by survivors.
Fares first came forward in March 2024, posting on Facebook that Rutledge sexually assaulted her between 2007 and 2010. Simon then alleged that Rutledge kissed her and told her he loved her at her graduation in 2005. Both women described grooming that began when they were 14 or 15, escalating to sexual contact after they turned 16.
Fares said she was inspired to speak out after meeting Simon, realizing she 'wasn't alone anymore.' Simon said she had 'fought this privately for 20 years' and 'been fighting it publicly for two,' adding that Fares called her and she had been waiting for that call for two decades.
Rutledge resigned from the school amid the allegations. Berkshire District Attorney Timothy Shugrue initially declined to pursue charges, citing Massachusetts' age of consent of 16, though the women maintained they did not consent. The school hired a law firm to investigate, producing a 60-page report concluding that Rutledge abused at least five students over two decades and that administrators repeatedly failed to act on warnings.
The report described Rutledge as a 'larger than life' figure who would bellow 'Make way for Mr Wonderful' in the hallways. It detailed grooming behavior, sexual advances, touching, and forcible intercourse, with accounts of threats and coercion. One student said Rutledge threatened to kill himself if she reported him, while another said he made her believe she would not get into college if she spoke up.
Investigators also substantiated allegations against seven other former employees, exposing a pattern of misconduct spanning decades. The school sent the report to the District Attorney's Office, which noted a 'pervasive and chronic pattern of inappropriate staff conduct.' Shugrue then reassigned the case to a new team of prosecutors and the Berkshire State Police Department Unit, leading to the grand jury indictment.
Outside court, Shugrue said that after comparing law enforcement investigatory work with the law firm's findings, 'we were able to charge Matthew Rutledge with three counts of rape.' He urged other victims to come forward, emphasizing they would not have to identify themselves publicly. Simon echoed that call, telling survivors, 'You do not owe anyone your story... It was never your fault. And if you need courage for what comes next, borrow mine.'
Rutledge is due back in court for a pre-trial hearing on June 18.
