Police: Former coach at Arkansas junior high school accused in sex case involving students

A former teacher and coach at an Arkansas junior high school is facing charges of sexual indecency with a child and sexual assault in a case involving students, authorities said.

Sheridan Police Department detective Mike Thomas said Tyler Pickett, 27, was arrested Thursday.

Pickett faces charges that include nine counts of sexual indecency with a child and three counts of first-degree sexual assault.

Pickett was a baseball coach at Sheridan Junior High School, Thomas said. The case involved three victims who were students, and the crimes are alleged to have occurred between May and the second week of August, the detective added.

A spokesman for the Sheridan School District said Thursday that Pickett was placed on administrative leave when the district first learned of the police investigation in September. He resigned from his position on Oct. 26.

"We are aware that Tyler Pickett, a former Sheridan School District teacher and coach, was arrested today after a three-month investigation by the Sheridan Police Department," spokesman Lauren Goins said in an emailed statement. "Upon learning of the allegations surrounding the employee, the district took immediate actions to ensure the safety of our students and worked closely with the appropriate local and state agencies with their investigations."

Goins said the district would not comment further because the matter "involves a former employee of the district."

ADVERTISEMENT

More headlines

Upcoming Events