Teacher's Aide Gets Diversion in Sex Case - Updated

(Athens, Tennessee) Former teacher's aide at Rogers Creek Elementary School, Tonia Hennessee Martin, admitted to engaging in sex with a 16-year-old boy but she didn't plead guilty.

Instead, Martin asked for judicial diversion and a McMinn County Criminal Court judge granted the request.

A court clerk said if Martin stays out of trouble for two years, she can ask to have her record cleared.

Martin's agreement said that she is to have no contact with the victim, must stay off school grounds, and can not attend any school functions. She is also liable for all court costs.

It appears that Martin may walk away from her past without punishment and without a record. Diversion seems similar to a pocket veto where the entire issue just dies. It's arguably quite lenient treatment considering she was originally charged with aggravated statutory rape and solicitation of a minor.

One must wonder how a 38-year-old man would have fared facing the same charges in the same court. I suggest he would have received a stretch in prison and ordered to register as a sex offender.

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Tennessee Teacher's Aide Faces Sex Charges
[Previous 2/19/11 post]
(Athens, Tennessee) A 38-year-old teacher's aide, Tonia Hennessee Martin, has been accused of engaging in sex with a 16-year-old male, a friend of her daughter.

Martin has been indicted by a McMinn County grand jury on two counts of aggravated statutory rape and solicitation of a minor.

Investigators first learned about the allegations in January when the victim and his parent filed a complaint.

At the time of the accusation, Martin was a teacher's aide at Rogers Creek Elementary School. She worked there for six years and resigned three weeks ago.

Sheriff Joe Guy says the incident was investigated, and statements Martin made to detectives led them to substantiate the allegations.

Martin was booked into custody at the McMinn County Justice Center and subsequently released on $10,000 bond.