Blount County, Tenn. — A former Blount County Schools employee who pleaded guilty to multiple counts of offensively touching students has been sentenced, with the potential for the case to be expunged from his record.
Joseph Michael Dalton, who had worked within the school system, was sentenced to six months of supervised probation after pleading guilty to five counts of misdemeanor assault by physical contact in September. The charges stemmed from incidents that took place at two schools within the Blount County district.
Despite objections from the prosecution, the judge granted Dalton’s request for a judicial diversion, a legal process that provides first-time offenders with an opportunity to have their charges dismissed upon successful completion of probation. As part of his sentence, Dalton will be required to undergo a psychosexual evaluation and adhere to any recommendations made as a result of the evaluation.
Under judicial diversion, if Dalton meets the terms of his probation, he may have the charges expunged from public records. This type of diversion is typically available to individuals who plead guilty to charges but have no prior criminal history, giving them a chance to avoid a permanent criminal record.
However, questions about Dalton’s history complicate the case. Although the judicial diversion process is designed for first-time offenders, it is not Dalton’s first encounter with allegations of inappropriate behavior. Following his guilty plea, 6 News obtained personnel files and disciplinary records from Blount County Schools, which included details of prior investigations into Dalton’s conduct. These investigations were carried out by both the school system and the Blount County Sheriff’s Office, raising concerns about whether Dalton should have been granted the diversion in the first place.
In addition to his probation sentence, Dalton’s teaching license remains active. The Tennessee State Board of Education has stated that it will review the court’s findings and may take further action regarding Dalton’s teaching credentials. The case will be presented to the State Board’s case review committee, which will make a recommendation regarding potential disciplinary measures, including the possibility of revoking his license.
The judicial diversion process, though intended to offer second chances to first-time offenders, has sparked public debate in this case, particularly in light of Dalton’s past allegations. As the review of his teacher license moves forward, the community and educational authorities will be closely watching the outcome.
