Retired Claiborne principal charged with child sex crimes

Retired Claiborne principal charged with child sex crimes

By ERICA ESTEP
6 News Anchor/Reporter

GREENEVILLE (WATE) -- A former Claiborne County elementary school principal is being held on child sex-related charges after he allegedly tried to arrange for sex with an eight-year-old girl.

Joseph Wayne Jennings, 53, of New Tazewell was arraigned Thursday in U.S. District Court in Greeneville on four sex charges, including attempted enticement of a minor for sexual purposes and child pornography.

Jennings retired about two years ago after working as a principal at the Clairfield Elementary School and later as an alternative school teacher.

He was arrested Wednesday when he arrived at the Holiday Inn in Morristown with a video camera, thinking he was about to have sex with a young girl.

Until that moment, Jennings didn't know the child was a made up part of a sting operation conducted by the Knoxville Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

The court document details how Jennings allegedly made contact on the Internet with an Ohio woman in May. When she became alarmed by the sexually explicit nature of their conversations, she contacted authorities.

Knoxville Detective Thomas Evans took over the case and posed in the Internet chat room as a divorced mother with an 8-year-old daughter.

During Internet chats with the undercover officer, Jennings allegedly asked about having sex with the girl.

U.S. Magistrate Dennis Inman ordered Jennings held without bond, pending a hearing.

Claiborne County Director of Schools Dr. Eddie Schoffner told 6 News he had suspicions of Jennings years ago.

"I have to say that it does take me back," Schoffner said. "I didn't dream he would go that far, but a minor doesn't take me by surprise. An eight-year-old little girl, that is more extreme than I thought he was capable of."

But despite his suspicions, Schoffner said he had no proof of wrong doing at the time and no complaints in Jennings' personnel file.

With an abundance of caution, though, Schoffner abolished Jennings' position as an alternative school teacher in 2007, forcing him into retirement.

"It turns my stomach," adds Schoffner. "It makes me more determined than ever to make sure it doesn't happen to anybody's children, if I have anything to say about it. I like to think in some way that I protected students by abolishing his position."

Dr. Schoffner is the former sheriff of Claiborne County. He says he investigated blackmail allegations involving sexually-explicit pictures against Jennings years ago.

However, Schoffner says, he was not able to collect the evidence needed to arrest Jennings.