Teacher faces rape charges
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Teacher Craig Fults, 38, a Warren County resident and native, was charged by detective Randy Groce after the investigator interviewed the high school boy the teacher met for lunch at the boy’s school, stated a press release from the sheriff’s department.
Rutherford County Schools spokesman Jim Mahanes said Fults was suspended without pay.
“Conditions of that suspension include that Mr. Fults have no contact with any Rutherford County students and is not allowed on any Rutherford County Schools-owned property,” Mahanes said.
Fults teaches seventh grade geography and coaches boys and girls soccer teams.
“The current charges do not involve any students at Barfield Elementary,” Mahanes said.
Sheriff’s officers reported the investigation began when authorities at an unnamed county high school noticed Fults showing up at the school for lunch.
They notified the school resource officer Wednesday who spoke with Barfield SRO Scott Culp. Their information was turned over to Groce. After interviewing the boy, Groce obtained the arrest warrants.
Fults was taken into custody after 1 p.m. Thursday at Barfield School. He was booked into Rutherford County Adult Detention Center where he is being held on $90,000 bond. A hearing is set April 24 in General Sessions Court.
Sheriff’s Maj. Bill Kennedy, the youth intervention commander, said the case shows collaborative efforts of school leaders and the sheriff’s office is working.
“This is evidence the partnership of the school system and sheriff’s office is working to protect our kids from sexual predators and other threats,” Kennedy said.
He is the third Barfield official to be charged with rape during the past three years. Two of them have been from Warren County. Teacher Carolina Nunley was charged with statutory rape after she had sex with a Barfield male student. She pleaded guilty in February 2001. She surrendered her teaching license and was placed on supervised probation for two years.