05/20/09 – Initial BadBadTeacher.com Report)

William Macgregor “Mac” Leighton, 31, head football coach at J.R. Tucker High School in Richmond, Virginia has been arrested on allegations of improper relationships with two female students, one 15-years-old and the other 17-years-old.

Leighton is reportedly charged with three counts of taking indecent liberties with a minor while in a custodial role, and two counts of soliciting child pornography.

It is alleged that Leighton sent text messages from a cell phone soliciting pornographic material from the students. Three additional felony counts allege Leighton took indecent liberties with a minor while in a custodial role.

It is further alleged that both students provided sexually explicit pictures to Leighton and the older student had unspecified sexual contact with him.

Leighton was released on $50,000 bond this afternoon and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in August.

11/18/09 – Guilty Plea

William Macgregor “Mac” Leighton has reportedly pleaded guilty to three counts of taking indecent liberties with a minor while in a custodial role.

In Henrico County Circuit Court, Leighton acknowledged his guilt in months-long relationships with students 15 and 17 and entered his guilty pleas with no promise of a sentencing recommendation.

Leighton faces up to 5 years in prison on each of the three counts.

Leighton was permitted to remain free on $50,000 bond to await sentencing, set for February 19th.

(08/17/09 -Initial BadBadTeacher.com Report)

Mark Allen Jackson, 43, an ROTC instructor at Charles Herbert Flowers High School in Springdale, Maryland has reportedly been arrested on allegations of having sex with a 16-year-old female student at his Alexandria, Virginia home.

Jackson is reportedly charged with transporting a minor across state lines with the intent of having an illicit sexual relationship.

It is alleged that Jackson befriended the girl starting in September 2008, when she was in one of his classes. It is further alleged that they began having sex in December.

Jackson came to the attention of authorities when the girl’s mother suspected something was going on and placed a recorded telephone call to Jackson from a police station.

It is alleged that during the course of that call that Jackson admitted having sex with the girl one time.

10/19/09 – Guilty Plea

Mark Allen Jackson has reportedly pleaded guilty in federal court to allegations of traveling across state lines to have sex with a student in Virginia.

Sentencing is reportedly set for January 8th.

(10/16/09 – Initial BadBadTeacher.com Report)

Paul Andrew Bess, 59, a teacher’s assistant at Nansemond Parkway Elementary School in Suffolk, Virginia has reportedly been indicted by a grand jury on charges of aggravated sexual battery and indecent liberties with a child.

Reportedly, the indictment accuses Bess of sexually assaulting a 7-year-old boy at the school in June. The alleged sexual assault came to the attention of authorities when the boy told a parent that it had occurred during school hours.

In response to the indictment, Bess turned himself in on October 1st.

He pleaded not guilty at an initial appearance in Circuit Court on Thursday.

Bess is reportedly being held without bond at Western Tidewater Regional Jail and will have a bond hearing November 2nd.

Bess, who has worked for Suffolk public schools since August, 2006, and whose job performance has been repeatedly evaluated as “exemplary”, has been placed on administrative leave.

In a letter to parents, Nansemond Parkway Elementary School principal Keith Hubbard said the Department of Social Services had conducted an investigation into this alleged incident in August and determined that the charges were unfounded.

Webmaster’s OPINION:
Taken in totality, there are aspects of this case, as we initially know them, that stink to high Heaven. Ultimately the facts may be revealed if/when this case makes it before a jury. However, it will be a long, long time before than could happen and undoubtedly bond for Paul Bess will be set high, owing to the serious nature of the charges.