UPDATE: Former Siegel Middle School Counselor to be charged next month with aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor

UPDATED: COFFEE COUNTY, TN — WGNS has more details on the ongoing legal troubles of a former Siegel Middle School employee, Daniel Odell Gregory. The former school counselor is scheduled to appear in a Coffee County court on September 18, 2024, to answer to charges related to aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor.

The case against Gregory dates back to 2023, when the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) received information indicating that a Rutherford County school counselor was involved in the sexual exploitation of a minor. The TBI, along with the Office of the 14th Judicial District Attorney General, launched an investigation, which revealed that the suspect, who reportedly lived in Coffee County, allegedly used a website to distribute illegal sexual images of minors. The investigation ultimately identified Gregory as the account user behind the crimes, the TBI said.

On September 25, 2023, Gregory was arrested by special agents with the TBI’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, with assistance from agents in Rutherford and Coffee County. His case was later presented to a Coffee County Grand Jury, resulting in 11 counts of Aggravated Sexual Exploitation of a Minor being filed against him.

It was believed that Mr. Gregory was involved in the unlawful online exchange or possession of material depicting a minor engaging in sexual activity or simulating sexual activity, as set forth in TCA Code 39-17-1004.

Gregory was originally scheduled to appear in court earlier this month for a “Discussion Hearing,” but that date has been postponed until next month. When he does appear, Coffee County Circuit Court records show Gregory will be represented by Public Defender Margaret Lamb Kilgore.

Before his arrestGregory was employed as a guidance counselor at Siegel Middle School in Murfreesboro, where he worked with students whose last names began with the letters P through Z. Following his arrest, James Evans, communications director for Rutherford County Schools, informed WGNS that Gregory had resigned after learning of the initial investigation. Evans also clarified that the charges against Gregory did not involve Rutherford County School students.

Gregory worked for the Rutherford County school system for 17 years, having been hired on August 15, 2006. His resignation in 2023 marked the end of a long career in the education system.

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