MURRAY COUNTY, Ga. — A former school administrator in north Georgia pleaded guilty to charges for having a sexual relationship with a student and giving alcohol to minors.
Dr. Rachelle Louise Terry, 43, of Chatsworth, was arrested last year by the Murray County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
On Wednesday, she entered a guilty plea for statutory rape, sexual exploitation of children, tampering with evidence, furnishing alcohol to a minor and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
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Investigators said they began to look into Terry after she hosted a Halloween party for five minors and gave them alcohol at her home in Chatsworth. They found receipts and videos showing her buying the alcohol hours before the party.
Parents went to the school district and consented to the DA’s office searching their children’s phones.
During the search, the DA’s office said that one of the phones had evidence showing Terry had an inappropriate, sexual relationship with a 15-year-old.
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Investigators asked Terry about the 15-year-old’s phone and obtained a search warrant for her phone, too. She denied having any relationship, but investigators discovered she used software to erase her phone data.
The 15-year-old admitted to what was on their phones and that they had a sexual relationship.
A judge sentenced Terry to 15 years with three years to be served and the other 12 years on probation. She will also have to register as a sex offender.
“Additionally, part of negotiated plea included multiple special conditions imposed on sex offense cases which include no contact with children under 18, no alcohol, a curfew, and no internet access or social media use,” the DA’s office said.
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