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Former Band Director Gets Three Years For Sex Acts With Students
November 8, 2014
Friday, a former band director at T.R. Miller High School in Brewton was sentenced to three years in the county jail for sexual contact with multiple students.
Jeffrey Lance Ganious pleaded guilty to one felony count of a teacher having a sexual act with a student, and two counts of sexual contact with a student. Circuit Judge Jeff White handed down a 20 years suspended sentence. Ganious will serve three years in the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center in Brewton, rather than state prison, to be followed by five years supervised probation. If he should violate his probation, he’ll be sent to state prison for the remainder of his sentence.
He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
Gainous was arrested in August for sexual contact with several girls ages 14 to 18. The contact ranged from sexting – sending explicit text messages — with at least a half dozen girls, to tying up girls and using various bondage devices during sexual contact. The incidents, authorities said, occurred at both his former Brewton home and inside the T.R. Miller High School band room.
Comments
17 Responses to “Former Band Director Gets Three Years For Sex Acts With Students”
I read somewhere he will be on the sex offender registry for the rest of his life and will have no contact with minors other than his children. He also can’t teach at another school ever again.
He only got five years probation? There was a guy in Texas who spoke with an 18-year-old girl on MySpace, but turned out to be 11 years old. He got 10 years probation and 20 years on the registry.
Justice is blind.
yes the law says that any sentence of less than one year and one day can be served in a county jail, but any more than one year and one day will be served in a state prison. someone may need to check on just why this predator is being allowed to serve in the COMFORT of the county jail instead of prison where he should be…
@ Otto ~ I don’t know who the prosecutor assigned to this case was. I DO know, though, that if it was the District Attorney, Steve Billy, and he felt there was a need to recuse himself, he would have. The County has assistant prosecutors who are just as capable of prosecuting the case as Mr. Billy. (As a matter of fact, if memory serves me correctly, Judge White served as assistant D.A. at one time.) I feel the same way about the Assistant District Attorneys – if it was assigned to one of them, and he knew it was a “conflict of interest,” he would have recused himself.
I am curious, though, why he is spending three years in the county jail. As I understand the laws of Alabama, a sentence of that length should be served in a State correctional institutional facility. Maybe the prisons are too crowded, or maybe it has to do with Alabama’s new “point system.” Seems odd, though.
Part of the problem is that many people in Brewton proper are more worried about the school, T.R. Miller, and its athletic programs than the victims. This is an easy way for things to “quiet down”. The D.A.’s daughter was student at the school during the time period that this occurred. It seem like this would have been enough for him to recuse himself from the case. The best thing that could have happened was to bring in an independent prosecutor to make sure that everything was impartial as possible.
SAD JUST SAD! I agree with Marshall Law. If that were my child things would have ended way different for this sicko.
This was a plea bargain. The judge could accept or reject the plea.
If the DA who knows all the good and bad about a case is making a recommendation do you really want a judge who doesn’t know any evidence to reject a plea offer.
And for those who want a greater sentence. Do you know the case better than the prosecutor? Would you want your daughter to ruin her college years with a very public trial??
Plea bargains are just that bargains. You trade some good with some bad.
Absolutely Crazy. If They Agreed And Knew What Was Happening The He Shouldnt Have Jail Time. They Knew What Was Happening.
I went to Neal. I know who the victims of this crime were. I felt so sick when I learned what he did. I also learned a sickening story that makes me hate T.R. Miller. One of the victims told the school years ago but since she had no proof she was not believed and her parents did not believe her either and Mr. Gayness actually told the band what was going on saying that she was spreading rumors about him trying to get him fired.
This guy obviously chose his victims wisely! If one of the girls were my daughter trial would not be necessary
@ correct what?
I can’t believe the punishment for a crime that will affect the victims for the rest of their lives. Victims being raped by a predator and then again by the judicial system. Sad…
Justice…The laws in Alabama is strict enough. If you don’t know what some of these people faces wear the shoe. The failure of the Judge to enforce the law to fit this situation is not failure of the law but the judge. I am shocked myself that all he received from the judge is 3rd and serving them in the County Jail at that. But that’s what happen when you are part of a social status and social groups. Bur to correct about the laws they need to be revamp. You have husband who is labeled ands as a sex offender because he got involved with his wife when she was 15 and he was 17. But to this day he is considered a sex offender and the laws gives him no way of coming off even though he has committed no other crime. Or these Correctional Officers who is being charged and labeled. We need laws, but we need laws that fit that particular crime.
I agree with all previously said by others….however, this IS THE STATE OF ALABAMA and not florida! Did they take his teaching license away from him? He will do it again! I just hope he does it in a different state so he can get hung by tougher laws!!
I can’t believe all he got was 3 yrs in County. He admitted to the accusations so why in the world would he be allowed this type of leeway. I don’t understand… Illegal immigrants get 20 yrs in Fed for getting caught without a Visa. He’s molesting little teenage girls (not to mention inside the school) and he get 3 yrs in County! Black man gets arrested for 1 ounce of marijuana being found in a car that hasn’t been driven in 2 yrs. and this man is performing S & M with someone’s children and all he gets is 3 freaking yrs in County?!?! What is the world coming to. He’s not going to stop. Once he gets out there will be more kids. And probably some little boys too. Brewton tried to keep this hush hush but the word still got out about it. This is just utterly disgusting and I hope he gets what God has in store for him! Start counting ur blessings Mr. Chester! Cuz those big boys in county will have no mercy!
Why do we even have laws if the judges just throw them out and send them to jail for such a small amount of time?????
ronny
It is a shame but a teacher can do anything he or she wants to a student short of intercourse of sodomy (and yes that includes bondage, gagging and fondling) and it is just a misdemeanor! Alabama needs tougher laws. Don’t blame the Judge or Prosecutor, but contact your legislators today!
Seriously??! A 20 year suspended sentence with 3 years in the County Detention Center for a sexual felony??? Way to make this disgusting predator pay for violating young girls, Judge Jeff! Keep up the good work….what a joke!!
What a slap on the wrist!