A former Red Bay High School girls varsity basketball coach is facing two felony criminal charges alleging he engaged in sexual contact with two Red Bay students while working as a substitute teacher last fall.
Donnie Roberts, who retired in 2017 from coaching, posted a $2500 bond and was released from the Franklin County Jail after turning himself in this morning, according to Franklin County Sheriff's Office officials.
Roberts was indicted by a Franklin County Grand Jury in September 2024.
Roberts was employed with Franklin County Schools as a substitute teacher when the alleged incidents occurred in November 2023. The Red Bay Police Department investigated three complaints made by three different students, each of whom alleged they were victimized by Roberts. But one of the three students and the student's family decided not to move forward with criminal charges against Roberts, according to a source familiar with the investigation.
Red Bay Police Chief Janna Jackson confirmed in November to the FFP that her department was investigating allegations of improper contact of three students by a teacher at Red Bay. She said the matter was also investigated by the Franklin County Department of Human Resources.
As of last month, Roberts has not been terminated as a school employee, but he has not served as a substitute teacher since the incidents were reported.
Alabama Code 13A-6-82 defines the offense of a School Employee Having Sexual Contact with a Student Under the Age of 19 years as follows: A person commits the crime of school employee having sexual contact with a student under the age of 19 years if he or she is a school employee and engages in sexual contact, as defined by Section 13A-6-60, with a student, regardless of whether the student is a male or female. Consent is not a defense to a charge under this section. The crime of school employee having sexual contact with a student is a Class C felony.
Upon conviction, a Class C felony carries a possible prison sentence of one to 10 years and a fine up to $15,000.
Roberts' 45-year coaching career included stops at two Mississippi schools before he came to Red Bay in the 1970s. Roberts' Red Bay teams went 886-361 over his stellar career from 1983-2017, including state championships in girls' basketball in 1987, 1993, 2001 and 2015.
When contacted Wednesday by the FFP, Franklin County Schools Superintendent of Education Greg Hamilton said he could not comment on the matter, citing board policy prohibiting him from doing so.
Roberts' son-in-law, John Torisky, was hired as Red Bay's girls varsity basketball coach in August 2024. Torisky previously served as Red Bay boys varsity basketball coach. Roberts' daughter Leah is a science teacher at RBHS, according to the school's web site.
Roberts' first court appearance will be for an arraignment, likely to be in early 2025. With Hamilton's brother, Brian, serving as Franklin County Circuit Judge, the case will likely be assigned to a different judge before it comes to trial, so as to avoid any perceived conflict of interest.
