Tennessee Teacher Gets Jail in Student Sex Case - Update

(Sumner County, Tennessee) Former educator at Rucker-Stewart Middle School and Gallatin High School, Devri DePriest, 27, pleaded guilty yesterday to six counts of statutory rape of two underage male students by an authority figure.

As a result, DePriest was sentenced to six months in the Sumner County Jail.

After her release, she will serve 10 years of probation with multiple conditions. By pleading guilty to a felony, she automatically forfeits her teaching license.

DePriest, a former Rucker-Stewart Middle School music teacher and Gallatin High School band instructor, was arrested on Oct. 18, 2011, and indicted in 2012 on 15 counts of statutory rape by an authority figure and one count of sexual battery by an authority figure for having sex with two underage male students.

She pleaded guilty to six counts as part of her deal with prosecutors, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.[…]

DePriest will register with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation as a sex offender upon her release and will have to abide by stricter rules than those typically imposed on non-sex offenders. DePriest also voluntarily gave up her license to teach; will not have access to a computer; cannot use drugs or alcohol; cannot go near areas with children, such as schools and parks; and cannot have contact with minors other than relatives for the next 10 years.

After completion of her jail sentence in January 2014, DePriest will return to court for final approval of her plea deal.

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Tennessee Teacher Accused of Sex with Male Student
[Previous 10/18/11 post]
(Gallatin, Tennessee) A 25-year-old music teacher at Rucker-Stewart Middle School, Devri A. Depriest, has been accused of engaging in sex approximately 20 times with a male high school student.

Depriest faces one count of statutory rape by an authority figure.

Gallatin police Sgt. Chris Shockley said in the affidavit he interviewed the alleged victim and had him contact Depriest by telephone while recording their conversation.

“Contact was made with the defendant and both parties engaged in conversation, which led to [Depriest] acknowledging their sexual relationship,” the affidavit said.

Another call was recorded by police with Depriest and the alleged victim’s mother, according to the affidavit.

“During this call the defendant made additional incriminating statements admitting to her sexual relationship with the victim,” the affidavit stated.

Depriest was booked and released on $15,000 bail.