A former Arkansas junior high school teacher and coach has pleaded guilty to charges of sexual assault and indecency with a child, records show.
Tyler Pickett, 28, of Benton was given 20 years of probation after entering a negotiated plea last week in Grant County Circuit Court.
Pickett, a former baseball coach at Sheridan Junior High School, pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree sexual assault and three counts of sexual indecency with a child, according to filings.
He was initially charged with nine counts of sexual indecency with a child and three counts of sexual assault.
Pickett was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and $150 in court costs, according to his negotiated plea agreement. He will be required to register as a sex offender.
An investigation began in September when a 15-year-old girl reported to the Sheridan Police Department that she had received sexually explicit messages on Snapchat.That teenager was one of three students who reported inappropriate contact with the teacher between May and August.
Pickett was placed on administrative leave in September and resigned from his position at Sheridan Junior High School in late October.
