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Tennessee Conservative News [By Paula Gomes] –
Omar Malik Lundy, 30, from Alabama is facing decades in jail after being convicted for attempted rape of a child, along with other charges. Lundy was able to groom the victim, not through a phone given to her by her parents, but through a school-issued tablet.
The Sumner County victim, just 12-years-old at the time, was contacted by Lundy through YouTube on her school device, where he left a comment about her under a video she shared on the platform that was flattering. Posing as a 15-year-old, half of his actual age, Lundy then began grooming the girl, communicating with her regularly, both online and via text messages. Eventually Lundy solicited nude photos from her and began pressuring her for an in-person meeting.
While the girl initially refused to meet, Lundy wore her down over time and she ended up telling him where she lived. Lundy then traveled from his home in Alabama, four and half hours away, to Sumner County, Tennessee, sneaking into the home of the victim without her parents knowledge in the middle of the night.
Over the course of the next day, Lundy remained hidden in the victim’s bedroom, sleeping in her closet, and got into bed with her that night. He was discovered by the victim’s mother when she came into her daughter’s bedroom to check on her, his feet hanging out from under a blanket.
A confrontation between Lundy and the victim’s family ensued during which Lundy threatened to shoot them with a handgun and then shoot himself. The gun was knocked out of Lundy’s hand by a male relative and the family were able to subdue him until Sumner County Sheriff’s Deputies arrived at the home.
A later search of Lundy’s Alabama property resulted in the discovery of body armor, electrical tape, knives, and many gun magazines.
Despite the victim’s parents regularly speaking to her about online safety while restricting her access to social media and to her phone, Lundy remained in contact with her through YouTube on her school device.
Lundy has had his bond revoked and is in jail awaiting sentencing, scheduled for January 28th, 2027. He faces up to 37 years behind bars for assault, two accounts of aggravated assault, attempted rape of a child, and solicitation of a minor to commit rape of a child.
Tennessee lawmakers passed the “Teen Social Media and Internet Safety Act” last year, requiring the Tennessee Department of Education to create guidance for public schools and public charter schools in the instruction of students in grades 6-12 on social media and internet safety. A portion of the law which bans students from accessing social media using school internet went into effect during the 2025-2026 school year.
Earlier this year, lawmakers also passed legislation enhancing internet use policies for Tennessee public schools.
This new law, which goes into effect July 1st, 2026, is designed to keep students safe while using the internet at school and will require that school districts and public charter schools review their acceptable use policies twice a year and make updates as necessary.
Internet policies must also include safety protocols for students that are integrated into the school’s instructional program and rules designed to protect the safety and security of students who use the internet at school to access email, chat rooms, or any form of direct electronic communication online.
The next step is weaning Tennessee’s school children off of technology in the classroom.
According to JC Bowman, CEO and Executive Director of Professional Educators of Tennessee, members of the Tennessee General Assembly are ready to tackle the issue next legislative session.
Currently, every school district in the state uses some form of laptop, usually a Chromebook, during instruction time. Legislation that Bowman has been working on in conjunction with lawmakers would prioritize textbooks over technology.
Not only are technology budgets exploding, costing districts millions of dollars a year, but research shows that students learn better and retain information when reading off of a physical page rather than a screen.
Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
One Response
GOOD!!