Former Kell Teacher Sentenced for Sexual Assault on Student

A former Kell High School teacher and volleyball coach has been sentenced to prison after he was found guilty of sexual assault on one of his students, the Cobb County District Attorney’s office announced Thursday.

Justin Allen Blankenbecler, then a 27-year-old Virginia native and new teacher at Kell, kissed and fondled a 16-year-old female student on two occasions and sent her a pornographic image of himself in September of last year, a month after the school year began. A concerned parent discovered the nature of the relationship and alerted the school, which started an investigation, the DA’s Office said.

The victim told police that she was initially happy with the extra attention Blankenbecler was giving her, but soon became uncomfortable and asked him to stop, the DA’s Office said. Blankenbecler refused.

The DA’s Office explained that although the age of consent in Georgia is 16, teachers who are found to be having sexual relationships with students 16 and over are guilty of felony sexual assault and cannot use consent as a defense.

“Within a month of starting his employment at Kell High School, this 27-year-old man preyed on the emotional immaturity of a teenager, abused his authority as an educator, and violated the trust of the victim, her family, the school system, and the public,” said ADA Lindsay Gardner, who prosecuted the case.

Following a stipulated bench trial, Cobb County Judge Ann Harris found Blankenbecler guilty of two counts of sexual assault of a student and one count of misdemeanor exhibiting pornography to a minor and sentenced him to 10 years, with three to serve behind bars.

“My concern is that in 30 days, you went from being new in town, a total stranger, to having her in a coach’s office at 6:15 in the morning, kissing her, groping her, feeling her up,” Judge Harris said. “We trust you to be the adult. To be the leader, to set the example, to foster a healthy learning environment every day. … What she needed was for you to leave her alone, and you didn’t. You encouraged her. You pushed, and you pushed.”