Image Credit: Blount County Sheriff’s Office
A judge stands by his previous decision to recuse the Fifth Judicial District Attorney General’s Office from participating in the criminal prosecution of a former Heritage High School teacher facing multiple child sex abuse charges.
District Attorney General Ryan Desmond confirmed Tuesday that the state’s motion to reconsider the recusal was denied.
Desmond said his office is now cooperating in the process to appoint a Pro Tem prosecutor but is also seeking an interlocutory appeal through the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals. Interlocutory appeals are rarely granted and typically only under extraordinary circumstances.
Shane Rewis was indicted in November 2024 and was arrested shortly thereafter in Georgia. He is currently facing multiple serious charges, including two counts of continuous sexual abuse of a child, trafficking for a commercial sex act, three counts of exploitation of a minor by electronic means, and sexual exploitation of a minor.
The judge initially recused Desmond’s office in late July after Rewis’ defense team filed a motion raising concerns. The motion alleged that during a routine evidence review, a defense attorney and a Blount County prosecutor discovered that the case materials included images of a child related to the lead investigator.
The defense argued that these images, while not sexually explicit or illegal in nature, were critical to proving Rewis’ innocence.
However, the meeting was reportedly cut short by the investigator, and the defense has since been denied access to an unredacted version of the download from the device that contains the evidence.
Further complicating the matter, the defense claimed that plea negotiations with the DA’s office were halted amid public backlash surrounding the sentencing of Joseph Dalton, another former Blount County teacher. Dalton received a judicial diversion sentence after pleading guilty to inappropriately touching students — a decision that sparked widespread criticism in the community.
The appointment of a Pro Tem prosecutor is expected in the coming weeks, though the state’s pending interlocutory appeal could delay further proceedings.
Rewis remains in custody while the legal process is ongoing.
One Response
Disgusting. Appoint someone else who has no ties to this child molester and put him in prison for life.