May 9, 2018
MARTIN COUNTY SCHOOL TEACHER ARRESTED AFTER GRAND JURY INDICTS HIM ON ATTEMPT TO SOLICIT SEX FROM STUDENT VIA CELLPHONE
Indicted teacher located and arrested in neighboring Johnson County 5 days after he was charged.
MAY 9, 2018 – written by WADE QUEEN
A Martin County man, who was a middle school teacher until recently in Martin County, was arrested in Johnson County Tuesday evening for an indictment on a sex crime attempt on one of his students.
A Martin County grand jury indicted Cletus Ray Turner, 51, of Tomahawk, Kentucky; on Thursday, May 3, for sending inappropriate messages to a student.
Middle school teacher Cletus Ray Turner was charged with:
• PROHIBITED USE OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION SYSTEM TO PROCURE MINOR/PEACE OFF RE: SEX OFFENSES; which in Turner’s case, was him using his phone to procure or promote the use of a minor regarding sexual offenses.
The charge Turner was arrested for is a Class D Felony and the usual penalty is a one-to-five-year sentence.
Cletus Ray Turner was taken into custody in Johnson County Tuesday evening, May 8, at 8:52 A.M., by officer Jonathan Holbrook, of the Paintsville Police Department. Turner was taken to and lodged at the Big Sandy Region Detention Center in Paintsville. There has been no announcement on bond.
Officials in Martin County have not as yet identified which middle school Turner worked at, nor have they said what the age and gender of the student Turner tried to solicit sexual actions from.
NOTE: An indictment is not proof of guilt or innocence but a decision by a grand jury that there is enough evidence to proceed)
