Image Credit: Grainger County Sheriff’s Department & Google Earth
Tennessee Conservative News Staff –
A man has been charged with attempting to kill a Grainger County school board member who was indicted for child sex crimes.
According to Grainger County Sheriff James Harville, 46-year-old Benjamin Mills has been arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated burglary, theft, and kidnapping after allegedly shooting at Steve Blanken, the man accused of statutory rape and possession of child sex abuse materials.
Court documents state that Mills allegedly admitted to researching where Blanken lived. He then went to Blanken’s home on the morning of March 8 and cut power, luring Blanken outside to check the breaker box. When Blanken came outside, Mills opened fire and Blanken was “struck at least three times by projectiles from a firearm,” according to the affidavit.
After Blanken fled to a neighbor’s home, Mills entered his house and pointed the gun at Blanken’s wife before stealing her cell phone and then running away.
According to the affidavit, Mills said he wanted to run Blanken out of the county because of his criminal charges.
Blanken is charged with three counts of statutory rape, one count of engaging in sexual activity with a minor, and two counts of possession of child sex abuse materials. He was serving as a Grainger County school board member and substitute teacher when a parent came forward to report an alleged illicit relationship between her child and Blanken between December 2025 and February 2026.
Court documents show that the incident allegedly involved a 16-year-old girl and occurred in a remote location in Grainger County.
School officials immediately banned Blanken from school property pending the investigation and requested that the Attorney General, District Attorney, or county attorney take action to remove Blanken from his elected position on the school board.
