TAZEWELL, Va. -A former Tazewell Middle and High School music teacher was sentence to a life behind bars after being found guilty of multiple charges in March of 2024.
John Michael Sharpe was found guilty by a Tazewell County jury on March 22 of last year on 20 counts of enticing a minor to engage in pornography and one count of using electronic means to procure obscene material from a minor.
He was sentenced to 3 years for one count and a subsequent 10 years for the other 19 counts. He will spend the rest of his natural life in prison.
The investigation into Sharpe began in December of 2021 after a victim of Sharpe told her school counselor about her relationship with him. Tazewell County Sheriff Brian Hieatt says cases like this are especially important for his department.
“If you’re put into a position of trust over a child and you violate that position of trust in that child then we will come after you with investigation and prosecution,” said Hieatt.
When Sharpe was indicted he was also charged with 148 counts of possession of child pornography but Plaster says it made more sense to just pursue the charges he was convicted of, citing their strategic approach of evidence.
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