Coach Sentenced for Sex with Girl - Updated

(Brownsville, Tennessee) Last week in Madison County Circuit Court, former gym teacher and softball coach at Haywood High School, Chanda Franks, pleaded guilty and was sentenced for engaging in sex with a 14-year-old girl.

The terms of the agreement resulted in Franks pleading guilty to three counts of aggravated statutory rape and entering a best-interest plea to coercion of a witness.

She received a sentence of two years on each count of aggravated statutory rape and two years for coercion of a witness. The combined effective sentence was six years.

But based on the plea agreement, which was approved and recommended to the District Attorney's Office by the girl's family, Franks will be eligible for release on Monday, after serving a little more than nine months in jail, police said.

Upon release, she will be placed on supervised probation for six years and must register as a sex offender.

After release from Madison County Jail, Franks will be transported to Haywood County to face similar charges involving the same female student.

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High School Coach Indicted for Sexual Battery - Updated
[Previous 3/22/11 post]
(Brownsville, Tennessee) Last Friday, Haywood County High School softball coach and gym teacher Chandra Franks was indicted on 19 counts of sexual battery. She remains free on bond.

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High School Coach Accused of Sexual Battery
[Previous 2/21/11 post bumped]
(Brownsville, Tennessee) Earlier today, a gym teacher and softball coach at Haywood High School, Chanda Franks, surrendered to police after learning that a warrant was issued for her arrest on a sexual battery charge.

Franks faces one count of sexual battery by an authority figure.

Franks is accused of touching a 14-year old student's breast for sexual arousal.

"As soon as we developed probable cause to make an arrest, we issued an arrest warrant," said Lt. Shawn Williams. "As parents we know we don't want predators around our children, much less know something like this is going on and allow a predator around someone else's kids."

Franks was booked into custody and subsequently released on $25,000 bond. A court appearance is scheduled for March 17.