Sneads Teacher Pleads Guilty

7/24/08

Tommy Stoutamire sentenced to one year in Liberty County Jail and 14 years probation as sex offender
By Sid Riley
On Tuesday in Judge Wright’s courtroom at the Jackson County Court House, a saga which has plagued several families, the Jackson County School System, and the Sneads High School student body, finally came to an end. Accepting a plea bargain, the former Sneads High FFA teacher pleaded guilty to four counts of multiple charges relating to inappropriate offenses against four of his former female students. He pleaded guilty to child abuse, false imprisonment, one count of battery, and three counts of lewd and lascivious molestation.
The sentence also included the provision that his teaching certificates were to be rescinded, and that he can never teach again. He also wrote a letter of apology to the four families that were involved in his case. There may be civil action taken against Stoutamire by the families, now that the criminal cases have been completed. Stoutamire was immediately fingerprinted and placed under arrest for delivery to Liberty County.