Forty Gays Arrested for Sex in Public Parks

(Johnson City, Tennessee) Forty men from Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina have been arrested over the past two weeks for engaging in sex at the Winged Deer and Buffalo Mountain public parks in Johnson City.

Undercover officers launched a concentrated law enforcement sweep after receiving complaints from the public. Indecent exposure and disorderly conduct charges are pending.

"Our parks are for family use. People should not be exposed to this while they are out there with their family or trying to enjoy the walking trails," Johnson City Police Chief John Lowry said. "They are not built nor maintained for sexual activity, be it homosexual activity or heterosexual activity."

The undercover officers were solicited for sex, groped and even had men expose themselves to them. Those arrested ranged in age from 26 to 85.

Notably, among those arrested were two teachers and a minister. James Thayer teaches at Bluff City Middle School, Brent Leach is a System Diagnostician with Johnson City Schools and Pastor Robert Riley tends the congregation at the First Baptist Church in Rogersville.

Thayer and Leach have been placed on paid leave pending the results of an investigation. Robert Riley resigned his position as pastor.