Greene woman faces sex charges

Greene County sheriff’s investigators on Friday arrested a 39-year-old woman, alleging that she had sex with William Monroe High School students.

Tammy Harlow Cox, of Celt Road in Greene, faces two felony charges of “taking indecent liberties with a child by [a] person in custodial or supervisory relationship: to wit, have sexual intercourse with” the child, according to Maj. Randall Snead of the Sheriff’s Office. She also is charged with three misdemeanor charges of “causing or encouraging acts rendering children delinquent: to wit did have sexual intercourse with” the children.

The investigation of Cox began as a result of a football locker room hazing incident at William Monroe, according to Snead.

While school officials investigated the allegations, they learned of reported “improprieties” between Cox and student-athletes, Snead said. School officials have said the student-athletes were football players. After the reported improprieties came to light, school officials contacted the Sheriff’s Office and the investigation began.

The hazing incident also is now being investigated by the Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators conducted several interviews and executed search warrants while working on the case, Snead said.

Three students involved in the case are “under the age of 18 and over the age of 15,” Sgt. James Watson said in a search warrant seeking access to Cox’s cell phone.

Watson wrote in the warrant that a school official contacted the Sheriff’s Office on Sept. 19 about the allegations.

The text messages sent from Cox’s phone to the teens included “indecent language,” according to the search warrant. The messages were sexual and a picture sent from the phone included nudity, the sergeant wrote in the affidavit, noting that the information “has been confirmed by this affiant’s investigation.”

Greene schools Superin-tendent David Jeck said Friday that he is glad the investigation seems to be headed in the right direction. He added that the school system is focused on making sure students are safe.

Jeck also noted with regret that unsubstantiated rumors are spreading throughout the county.

“This is a small community. This is something people are interested in,” he said. “A community like ours, it’s a big deal.”

Last week, Jeck e-mailed parents about a situation in which an adult apparently had inappropriate conduct with student-athletes. In the same e-mail, he also noted that several football players had been disciplined for an unrelated hazing incident. One of the players was expelled.

Jeck declined to discuss details of the case Friday and the Sheriff’s Office declined further comment.

The felony charges Cox faces each carry a prison term of up to five years. The misdemeanors carry a punishment of up to one year in jail and/or a $2,500 fine. Hazing on school grounds also is a misdemeanor with the same punishment.