(05/09/08 - Initial BBT Report)

Ronald Nichols, 37, a math teacher at Grace Baptist School in Byhalia, Mississippi has been arrested and charged with sexual battery by an authority figure.

It is alleged that Nichols went to the home of one of his female students last Friday afternoon when no one other than the student was home and kissed and fondled her.

Following his arrest Nichols is being held at the Shelby County Jail and will appear in court next week.

References:

Byhalia Teacher Arrested for Kissing, Fondling Student (05/09/08)

Teacher Accused of Sexual Battery of Student (05/09/08)

Mississippi teacher charged with fondling student (05/09/08)

Cedric Smith, 36, former teacher and baseball coach at Poplarville High School, in Poplarville, Mississippi has pleaded guilty to the statutory rape of a 14-year-old female student.

Smith allegedly had sex with the girl in December 2006 at the high school baseball field after practice was over.

According to the Sun Herald:

A member of the girl’s family said this week that Smith had taken the girl to his truck on the school campus, where the incident occurred. After he was arrested by Poplarville police, an investigation uncovered suggestive cell phone voice and text messages that Smith had sent to the girl, the family member said.

Sentencing is set for November and Smith faces up to 30 years in prison.

1/25/08 - Sentencing

Cedrick Smith was today sentenced to 20 years in prison for statutory rape, however 13 years of Smith’s sentence was suspended.

Reference:

Ex-Poplarville coach sentenced for having sex with student (1/25/08)

Former Poplarville Coach Pleads Guilty To Sex With Student (9/07/07)

(9/08/07 - Initial BBT Report)

James Donald Nowlin, 61, a retired former basketball coach at Northeast Jones High School, in Laurel, Mississippi has pleaded guilty to federal charges that he used his computer to lure a minor into sex.

Nowlin who retired as the boys basketball coach after 32 years with Northeast Jones High School turned himself in to the FBI this past week.

Nowlin came to the attention of authorities on a tip from the public about his on-line activities.

It was alleged that between November 2006 and March 2007 that Nowlin used his computer to communicate with a person he knew to be under the age of 16, with the intent to entice, encourage, offer and solicit the individual to engage in sexual activity.

Nowlin could face up to life in prison at sentencing.

12/10/07 - Sentenced

James Nowlin has been sentenced to 46 months in prison and five years supervised release as the result of his September guilty plea on federal child predator charges.

References:

Retired Jones County teacher sentenced on sex charge (12/10/07)

Retired coach admits cyber-sex scheme (9/08/07)

Aaron T. Gunn III, 32, a former middle school teacher in Clarksdale, Mississippi, convicted of having sex with a 15-year-old student appears to have avoided a felony charge for failing to register as a sex offender for well over two years.

At least Gunn has now registered as a sex offender as he was required to do over two years ago.

Well, sorta’…

According to the Associated Press it seems there may be some confusion as to where Aaron T. Gunn III actually lives.

Coahoma County Sheriff Andrew Thompson said Gunn registered with his department earlier this month, providing a Clarksdale address. A man who answered the phone at the address Sunday said he was Gunn’s father. The man initially said Gunn did not live there. When told that it was the address listed on the sex offender registry, a woman picked up the phone and said Gunn did live there, but was not available.

What makes this interesting is the fact that the Associated Press quotes District Attorney Laurence Mellen as saying that Gunn would not be prosecuted for failing to register unless he provided inaccurate information to the sex offender registry and this in spite of Gunn’s failure to register for over two years as required by law.

District Attorney Mellen does not explain how it is possible for Gunn who apparently claims to be living with his parents can live with his mother but not with his father, when the parents are sharing a single home.

Maybe DA Mellen might want to look into this apparent “inaccurate information” recorded in the official Mississippi sex offender registry. Then again, maybe he would prefer to look the other way as he apparently has been doing for a while now.

References:

Convicted Teacher Escapes Sex Offender List (9/26/07)

Ex-teacher registers as sex offender 2-plus years after conviction (9/25/07)

Ex-teacher registers as sex offender (9/25/07)

For those that wish to check for themselves as to the address where Mr. Gunn claims he lives they may do so at the Mississippi Criminal Sex Offender Information web site.

In the meantime, hopefully Mr. Gunn and his parents will manage to get their story straight and District Attorney Mellen will uphold the law he swore an oath to uphold.

View All Bad Bad Teacher Coverage of Aaron T. Gunn III

Stephen W. Harris, 30, a former teacher and coach at West Marion High School in Foxworth, Mississippi has been sentenced to 20-year terms for each of two counts of sexual battery of a female student.

Harris originally charged with two counts each of sexual assault and exploitation of a minor entered into a plea deal with prosecutors avoiding the exploitation charges.

He also faces two counts of statutory rape and three counts of sexual battery for incidents in Newton County, however those counts are not being prosecuted at this time as the girl and her mother do not wish to prosecute the case.

Harris is expected to serve only 7 years of his 20-year sentences, as the judge suspended all but three and a half years of each.

Reference:

Former coach gets 40 years (8/24/07)

Ex-teacher sentenced in sexual battery case (8/23/07)