NewsChannel 5.com - Nashville, Tennessee - Middle School Teacher Charged In Online Prostitution Sting

Middle School Teacher Charged In Online Prostitution Sting

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A Mount Juliet Middle School teacher was among 18 men arrested for allegedly arranging online to meet a prostitute at a Nashville motel.

David Shepard, 48, was among the men Metro police arrested for soliciting prostitution after they responded to a posting on Craigslist.  They arranged to meet a woman, who was an undercover female police operative. Craigslist is a popular Web site where people post ads for roommates, employment and furniture sales, etc.

Police arrested the men Wednesday. They received misdemeanor citations.

Shepard is an eighth grade science teacher and girls volleyball coach.

Shepard declined comment when asked about the arrest.

Police said he went to a Nashville motel, where he was arrested.

Shepard was suspended without pay until his legal matter is resolved, according to Wilson County Schools officials.

He reported the incident to the school system and was suspended immediately, in accordance with school board policy.

School officials are conducting their own investigation as well as assisting police.

"We certainly can't have him in a classroom with kids and coaching until this matter is resolved," said David Burton, safety director for the school system.

A few teachers at the school said they shocked to hear about the arrest.

Shepard has worked at the middle school for four years. He has had a clean employment record.

Two Metro teachers were also arrested. Damon Dietz is a 29-year-old English teacher at Antioch High School. The dentity of the third teacher was not known Monday night.