11 Charges Added Against Christian School Principal as More Victims Come Forward
In Athens, Tennessee, a Christian school principal already facing charges for inappropriate sexual activity involving an underage girl was indicted last week on 11 additional charges.
Last August, Jason Kennedy, 47, posted a $60,000 bond after police arrested and charged him on two counts of sexual assault by an authority figure and one count of solicitation of a minor.
The original charges involved an underage female, previously a Liberty Christian Academy student, where Kennedy was the principal, teacher, and pastor when police arrested him.
Authorities arrested both Kennedy and Brittney Branham, 28, the school’s secretary and homeschool coordinator, for engaging in improper sexual activity in front of the underage teen on multiple occasions. The incidents occurred in the Kennedy home, where Branham also lived.
Believing there may be more victims, McMinn County Sheriff’s Department continued the investigation and since August, authorities have confirmed three more victims. Police arrested Kennedy on new charges last Wednesday (Jan. 18).
The new indictment brings updated charges against Kennedy and represents the three additional victims, bringing the total number of victims in this case to four.
According to ABC 6, McMinn County Sheriff Joe Guy said the latest victims “involve incidents dating as far back as 1996. Detectives presented these new cases to the McMinn Co Grand Jury this week, which returned additional criminal indictments on Kennedy and Branham. Of the total 5 victims, 1 was unrelated to Liberty Christian Academy, and 4 were students at Liberty Christian Academy.”
The grand jury indictment lists Kennedy’s new charges as four counts of sexual battery by an authority figure and two counts of continual sexual abuse of a child. Additional charges listed are sexual activity involving a minor, solicitation of a minor to observe sexual conduct, and aggravated sexual battery.
It is still to be determined whether Branham will also face new charges. In August, she was charged with one count of solicitation of a minor.
The school is a ministry of Liberty Christian Church of Jesus Christ. MinistryWatch reached out to the school for comment, but was unable to connect.
Kennedy is in custody in McMinn County Jail on a $400,000 bond.
Main photo: Jason Kennedy arrest photo from 2022 / McMinn County Jail
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