CHEATHAM COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) -- A Cheatham County grand jury has indicted a former high school band director for sex crimes involving someone who was reportedly his student more than a decade ago.

This investigation, which has been years in the making, resulted in the indictment and arrest of 42-year-old Jordan Tupper earlier this week.

The Cheatham County Sheriff's Office said a detective presented evidence to the grand jury on Tuesday, Sept. 2, related to "the allegations of the unlawful sexual relationship involving multiple sexual encounters between Mr. Jordan Tupper and the alleged victim."

According to officials, Tupper turned himself in at the Cheatham County Jail on Wednesday, Sept. 3, after the grand jury returned an indictment charging him with eight counts of statutory rape by an authority figure.

Per the indictment, "Jordan Tupper at the time of the offense was in a position of trust or had supervisory or disciplinary power over [the victim] and used his position of trust or power to accomplish the sexual penetration."

Based on the indictment, the alleged crime took place between Aug. 1, 2010, and June 23, 2012. However, law enforcement said the investigation didn't begin until about a decade later.

According to the arrest document, on May 28, 2021, a woman walked into the sheriff's office and reported Tupper had inappropriate sexual contact with her multiple times when she was a teenager and he was the band director at Sycamore High School.

The victim told the detective that she was a 15-year-old sophomore in the Sycamore High band, under the direction of Tupper, in 2010, but he "began grooming her" until after she turned 16 in 2011, per the document. Then, during her junior year, the victim claimed Tupper approached her in a sexual nature multiple times in locations like the band room, Tupper's vehicle, and out-of-town band events.

Based on the document, the victim said she saved messages from Tupper on her cellphone.

The Cheatham County School District sent News 2 this statement after the former employee's arrest:

The Cheatham County School District has been made aware of the arrest of former teacher Jordan Tupper.

Mr. Tupper was employed in our district for six years. He taught from 2006-2008 at Sycamore Middle School, 2008-2011 at Sycamore High School and 2013-2014 at Cheatham Middle School.

We are fully cooperating with the Cheatham County Sheriff's Office in their investigation

School officials confirmed Tupper was the Sycamore High band director from 2008 to 2011, adding that he also taught social studies, science, and behavior modification classes. However, there were no disciplinary measures in his file, according to the district.

Following his time in Cheatham County, authorities said Tupper moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Then, he started teaching at Episcopal School of Baton Rouge, which sent the following statement to News 2:

Episcopal School of Baton Rouge has been made aware that Jordan Tupper, a member of our faculty, was indicted out of state in connection with an incident that allegedly occurred over a decade ago. The charges are not connected to the individual’s work at Episcopal.

At this time, Mr. Tupper has been placed on leave pending the investigation.

We remain committed to the safety, integrity, and well-being of our students, faculty, and community. Out of respect for the legal process and the privacy of those involved, we will not be providing further comment.

According to a 2023 news release from Austin Peay State University, Tupper is not only an APSU alum, but he was recognized for a prestigious award as a music educator. At the time, Tupper was quoted as saying, "It's a huge honor, especially for music educators who sometimes don't get a lot of recognition. We're very present in the schools and have a big impact on a lot of kids."

The sheriff's office said Tupper posted a $50,000 bond less than an hour after his arrest Wednesday. He's due in court on Tuesday, Sept. 9 for his arraignment.

News 2 reached out to Tupper for comment, but we have yet to hear back.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/former-cheatham-county-school-band-director-indicted-for-statutory-rape-by-an-authority-figure/