Tennessee Christian school principal charged with 11 new child sex charges after 2022 arrest
The principal of a Christian school in Tennessee, who was arrested last year on charges of sexual activity with a minor, has been charged with 11 additional counts.
Liberty Christian School principal Jason Kennedy, 47, was already facing charges in connection with his alleged sexual activity with an underage girl. He was charged in August with two counts of sexual assault by an authority figure and one count of soliciting a minor.
School secretary and homeschool coordinator Brittney Branham, 28, was also charged with soliciting a minor in August for incidents at Kennedy’s home. It is not known whether she will face new charges.
District Attorney Stephen Crump told FOX Chattanooga on Friday that the new charges Kennedy was charged with represent three more victims, meaning there are now four total victims in the case.
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Jason Kennedy, 47, has previously been charged with two counts of sexual assault by an authority figure and one count of soliciting a minor.
(McMinn County Jail)
Grand jury indictment shows Kennedy’s new charges include sexual activity involving a minor, solicitation of a minor to observe sexual behavior, aggravated sexual assault, six counts of sexual assault by an authority figure and two counts of violation of child protection law.
The victim, whose charges led to the arrests of Kennedy and Branham last year, is a 19-year-old who says she was underage at the time of the incidents.
Kennedy was living in his Athens, Tennessee, home with his wife and Branham in 2019 when the victim spent the night in the same room as Branham, according to affidavits from the McMinn County Sheriff’s Department. The victim said that Kennedy would come into the bedroom and talk about sex with her and Branham.
Brittney Branham, 28, was charged in August with soliciting a minor.
(McMinn County Jail)
The victim said Branham urged her to allow Kennedy to touch her private area, but not to tell anyone because they might get in trouble.
According to the affidavit, the teen said Branham and Kennedy bought her a “black and white skimpy nightgown” in August 2020, and one night while she was staying with Kennedy, he walked into the room where she and Branham stood and touched the victim’s breast.
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A badge from the McMinn County Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee.
(McMinn County Sheriff’s Department)
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The victim told investigators while staying in the bedroom with Branham in another case in early 2021, Kennedy walked into the bedroom and started talking about sex.
She said that Kennedy and Branham made each other happy and encouraged her to join them. After he finished, the victim said he adjusted his clothes and acted “as if nothing had happened, they started talking as usual,” the affidavit states.
Kennedy is also a teacher and pastor at Liberty Christian School. Local media reported that he and Branham remained employed.
Liberty Christian School did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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