By MIKE KRAFCIK
6 News Reporter
KNOXVILLE (WATE) - A former temporary employee at a Knoxville community center is charged with the rape of a 14-year-old girl.
Shannon Lee Glasper, 24, of Knoxville, worked part time since 2004 during the summers at the Dr. E.V. Davidson Community Center, according to Senior Communications Director Angela Starke.
The grand jury handed up a presentment Tuesday charging Glasper with one count of aggravated statutory rape and one count of rape.
Starke said the city has dismissed Glasper from his position with the parks and recreation department.
Glasper was taken into custody at his home in the Holston Hills neighborhood in East Knoxville.
KPD Police Spokesman Darrell DeBusk said the alleged incident occurred in late June at Glasper's home on Holston Hills Road.
"The information that we were provided and were able to verify through the investigation indicated that the incident occurred at his home a few days before it was reported to us on July 1st," said police spokesman Darrell DeBusk.
Glasper had worked with children at the community center. "His primary role has been as official score keeper in our baseball and softball programs. And he's also worked in our summer playground program for summers for several summers," said Parks and Recreation Director Joe Walsh.
Glasper has no prior criminal record. Starke said the city does do background checks on permanent full time employees, but not for part time employees who are minors.
Part-time employees over 18 working in athletics as umpires, scorekeepers and basketball officials are subject to background checks, according to Starke.
Glasper was 17 when he started working for the city. "He was a minor," Walsh said. "Because of that, we did not do a background check."
There are still questions on how Glasper came into contact with the girl. The city says she didn't participate in the program he was involved with.
Police haven't said how they believe Glasper met or knew the girl.
"You often wonder if there's going to be victim that may come forward. You never know. This could be the first time. It could have been an isolated incident," DeBusk said. "But this is something we'll be watching for to see if there any other type of activity."
Police didn't say if there were multiple accounts of illegal sexual conduct between the two.
The parks department says before all of this, officials had no reason for concerns about Glasper.
Shannon Lee Glasper (source: Knox County Sheriff's Office)
