A Hendersonville man described as a former Sumner County Schools employee was arrested Thursday on more than 20 charges tied to the sexual abuse and exploitation of a child. Jesse Owen Shipley faces a sweeping list of counts that includes continuous sexual abuse of a child, statutory rape by an authority figure, and multiple charges of exploiting a minor by electronic means.
Shipley's age was reported differently across outlets covering the arrest: WSMV listed him as 43, while The Tennessean reported he is 44. Both outlets agree he was taken into custody in connection with the alleged sexual abuse and exploitation of a child, a case also covered locally by Sumner County Source.
What Charges Does Shipley Face
According to WSMV's reporting, Shipley is charged with one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child, six counts of statutory rape by an authority figure, six counts of aggravated statutory rape, five counts of especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means, four counts of exploitation of a minor by electronic means, one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, and one count of official misconduct. Sumner County Source's account of the charge list also includes one count of official misconduct.
Yahoo's report, citing Sumner County Jail records, said Shipley is being held on a $500,000 bond. The same report noted that the number of victims in the case was not immediately known.
District Says He Is Not a Current Employee
Shipley has been described in coverage as a former Sumner County Schools employee. Per the same WSMV account, the district said he is not a current SCS employee and had left after the previous school year. Police did not provide further details about the allegations or say whether they are connected to Shipley's employment with the district, the station reported.
The investigation remains active, per that reporting. Police have not released additional specifics about how the case came together or what prompted the arrest.
A Separate Sumner County Case
The Shipley arrest comes amid other child exploitation cases moving through Sumner County courts. In a separate matter, 19-year-old Aidan Christopher Wright was indicted by a Sumner County grand jury on 52 counts related to the alleged exploitation of children, according to the Hendersonville Standard. That indictment included 10 counts of exploitation of a minor by electronic means, one count of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of sexual exploitation of a minor involving more than 50 images, and 40 additional counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, the outlet reported. Wright, meanwhile, faces a separate indictment in Sumner County.
How to Report Information
Anyone with information related to the Shipley case is asked to contact Hendersonville police at 615-822-1111 or Hendersonville Crime Stoppers at 615-594-4113. Tips can also be submitted through the P3 Tips mobile app.
