Tiptonville, TENNESSEE

One of the most popular teachers at Lake County High.
Sentenced to judicial diversion - no jail, no prison and no punishment - for sex with student.

May 9, 2008 - Tracy Hinson, 38, a science teacher at Lake County High School, has been charged with contributing to the unruly behavior of minor. She was confronted Thursday afternoon with allegations that she'd been sexually involved with 17-year-old male student.

She is scheduled to appear in Lake County Juvenile Court on Wednesday, May 14.

News Channel: Hinson has been suspended without pay.

Sources tell News Channel 3 the evidence of the inappropriate relationship can be found in the 4500 text messages exchanged between the teacher and student.

Hinson, a cheerleading coach and dance team teacher, was a favorite among students but in such a controversial story as this even this former cheerleader and supporter didn't want to show her face.

INVESTIGATION CONTINUES May 14 - "During a juvenile court hearing, the judge dismissed the only pending charge, she contributed to the boys bad behavior. The dismissal came at the request of the district attorney who withheld the right to re-charge her. No reason was given for the dismissal and the investigation is on-going.

Nothing was said today about allegations she had sex with the 17-year old male student." The sheriff says the investigation into those allegations is continuing.

The investigation continues and so does the fall out. The vice principal at Lake County High resigned Monday. When asked if his resignation had anything to do with this case, the superintendent responded affirmatively.

"It was involved in the internal investigation. And, again, Mrs. Henson is suspended without pay until this investigation is completed," said Superintendent Joey Hassell.

May 16 - Hinson remains under investigation. The Lake County Board of Education is scheduled to meet in a called session Monday night to consider firing her. [Posters at the story report that she has resigned.]

INVESTIGATION May 22 - Hinson's resignation was accepted.

Investigator Joe Vernon of the Lake County Sheriff’s Department is heading up the ongoing case. He said Monday he had subpoenaed 67,000 text messages taken from two confiscated cell phones made over a 122 day period.Vernon said he has 30 persons to interview and has talked with about half of them.Vernon said it was possible that evidence could be presented to the July 7 term of the Lake County Grand Jury and that a more serious charge or charges could be the result. He also said the case might not be ready by July 7 which would move it back to the November term.

PLEA (Sorta) & SENTENCING (Sorta) - Hinson pleaded no contest to a charge of aggravated statutory rape. She was placed on on judicial diversion, which includes supervised probation for two years, payment of court costs and no contact with the student. If she successfully completes her diversionary period, Hinson may ask the court to expunge her criminal record.

Instead of waiting for the next grand jury to meet, Hinson on Tuesday signed a waiver of indictment and pleaded to a "criminal information," a document charging her with the offense of aggravated statutory rape.

The document accuses Hinson of being unlawfully sexually penetrated by a male between the ages of 13 and 18 during January. Hinson was at least 10 years older than the boy, an age difference that elevates the charge to "aggravated" statutory rape.

While it had been widely rumored that the investigation would lead to indictments against several individuals, Lake County Sheriff's Investigator Joe Vernon said Tuesday that his investigation had not uncovered criminal activities involving other persons. However, he said he is still looking into the situation.

PLEA WITHDRAWN October 23 - Circuit Court Judge Lee Moore granted a request on Thursday, Oct. 16. for Hinson to withdraw her plea. Her attorney argued the district attorney's office and Hinson negotiated a plea agreement that did not require Hinson to register with the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry. That was true during their negotiations but, by the time the plea was entered in court, state law had changed. Effective July 1, anyone being sentenced to judicial diversion for aggravated statutory rape must register as a sexual offender for as long as the diversionary period lasts.

Hinson is now applying for pretrial diversion, a form of diversion that will not require her to register as a sexual offender.