Tazewell, VA (WOAY) – A former public-school teacher was sentenced on child pornography charges in Southwest Virginia.
According to a media release from Tazewell County Commonwealth’s Attorney J. Christopher Plaster, 33-year-old John Michael Sharpe of Tazewell VA was sentenced today on 20 counts of enticing a child to perform in pornography with 19 of those counts being a second or subsequent offense. Sharpe received a total of 193 years to serve in the Virginia Department of Corrections.
“This case is still a tragedy. Not only is it a case involving the exploitation of a minor child, but it is also a case of broken trust of the victim, her family, the school system, and the entire community. John Sharpe simply refuses to take responsibility for his actions and even claims his interactions with the child, are the fault of the victim. This is what makes John Sharpe dangerous and deserving of the time in prison he received today,” says Chris Plaster, Commonwealth’s Attorney.
Sharpe was convicted by a jury on March 22, 2024, and has been in the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail since his conviction.
