COFFEE / RUTHERFORD COUNTY – A man in Coffee County has been arrested following an investigation by special agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children Unit. The arrest comes after the TBI received information that that the Coffee County subject was alleged to be involved in incidents related to sexual exploitation of a minor.
On September 25th, TBI Agents, along with the Office of the 14th Judicial District Attorney General, began an investigation of an account user who was sending child sexual abuse material via a website on the internet, according to investigators. During the course of the investigation, agents developed information that identified the user of the account as Daniel Gregory.
On Monday, with the assistance of deputies with the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office and the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department, agents arrested Daniel Odell Gregory (DOB 05/10/1975). The 48-year-old suspect is charged with 11 counts of Aggravated Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and he was booked into the Coffee County Jail on a $950,000 bond.
RUTHERFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS - The suspect in the case most recently worked for the Rutherford County Schools. Reports indicate he worked at Siegel Middle School in the guidance office. The schools website had Gregory listed as a counselor who worked with students that had a last name that began with P through Z. The schools have since removed Mr. Gregory's photo from the Siegel Middle School Counseling Department webpage.
Rutherford County Schools Communications Director James Evans told WGNS in an email, “The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has charged a Siegel Middle School employee with 11 counts of aggravated exploitation of a minor. The charges were announced today and do not involve any Rutherford County Schools’ students. The employee, Daniel Gregory, is a school counselor at Siegel Middle School and lives in Coffee County. He resigned his position upon learning of the charges.”
Evans went on to tell WGNS, “We know this information is concerning to parents and students, and we too are disturbed by the charges. We are fully cooperating with law enforcement to assist with the investigation. Gregory’s hire date was Aug. 15, 2006. Any questions about the charges will need to be addressed to the TBI. We are sharing this same information with the media to ensure the facts are known.”
The suspect worked for the county schools for the past 17-years. WGNS verified from 2015 to 2018, Gregory served students with last names beginning with A through K in the Siegel Middle counseling office. Between 2019 and 2023, Mr. Gregory served students with last names of P through Z.
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