Image Credit: Blount County Sheriff’s Office & canva
The Tennessee Conservative Staff –
A former Blount County elementary school teacher waived his sentencing hearing Tuesday after pleading guilty to five charges of “offensive touching” back in September 2024.
Joseph Dalton was arrested in January 2024 after it was alleged that he had allegedly touched several elementary school students inappropriately in at least five separate incidents. He had already resigned from the district in September 2023 after an investigation opened against him.
According to arrest records, five different occasions were caught on camera in which Dalton was inappropriate towards children. These ranged from tickling to close hugging to pulling one student “intimately close to his person” and putting his face on hers.
Investigators said it appeared that Dalton tried to kiss the student on the forehead before she “violently threw his hand off of her shoulder quickly.” The final incident that was recorded involved Dalton pulling a girl close to his body and “bouncing and shaking his body” against her.
These incidents were caught in September 2023 as police were investigating accusations against Dalton.
Since the arrest was made, another victim has come forward, identifying herself.
Gracie Jones says she was in kindergarten in 2005 when her parents filed a complaint against Dalton. The school system has documented a number of complaints regarding Dalton being inappropriate towards children, but he was allowed to remain employed with the district.
Instead of being terminated, he was moved around among several different elementary schools, ending at Friendsville Elementary.
Because Dalton waived his sentencing hearing, the case will go on to the Blount County Circuit Court for final judgement.
“The sentencing hearing will be conducted in the Blount County Circuit Court in the near future and the date of the hearing will be public record once it is selected,” explained Blount County District Attorney’s Office Public Information Officer Charli Whaley.
The crimes to which Dalton pleaded guilty are misdemeanor charges, each carrying a maximum sentence of six months in jail.
