GREENEVILLE — A former West Greene High School teacher entered a guilty plea Monday in Greene County Criminal Court to one count of aggravated statutory rape involving a student.
Jacob Columbus Deal, 44, of Rogersville, was indicted in 2023 by a Greene County Grand Jury on three counts of statutory rape by an authority figure and three counts of aggravated statutory rape in connection with incidents in 2021.
The other charges against Deal were dismissed as part of a plea agreement, according to court officials.
A Sept. 3 sentencing hearing for Deal in Greene County Criminal Court was set on Monday.
Deal, of Par 3 Circle, Rogersville, was a mathematics instructor and also boys basketball coach at West Greene from 2018 to 2021. Deal was indicted on the charges in May 2023. He was taken into custody in August 2023.
Greene County Director of Schools David McLain said last year that Deal resigned from his position at West Greene in May 2021. The victim reported the incidents in June 2021.
The victim was 14 years old at the time the contact was reported to the Greene County Sheriff’s Department.
“After an extensive investigation, it was determined there was a sexual relationship between the student and (Deal), who was 41 years old at the time of the report,” according to a 2023 sheriff’s department news release.
“Cases like this take a long time to investigate and to gather evidence. It took time to collect data and records from social media. Countless hours and numerous court orders were involved in this case,” the news release states.
Greene County Schools received Deal’s resignation letter in May 2021.
Deal stated in the letter that he was leaving his position at West Greene to take a job with Hawkins County Schools. Authorities alerted school officials in Hawkins County. Deal never worked for that school system.
“To the best of my knowledge, he was never in front of kids again,” McLain said in August 2023. “We were not aware a student had come forward until June of 2021.”
“The girl went to the sheriff’s department and the sheriff’s department made me aware of the situation, but he had already resigned,” McLain said. “It’s important to know that once we were aware of the situation, (Deal) was already gone.”
Deal remains free on $50,000 bond. A March trial date prior to the plea hearing was continued.
Kingsport lawyer Matthew King represents Deal. Neither King nor Deal could be reached for comment Wednesday.
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