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Tennessee Coach John Conner III: Former Reality TV Star Charged With Statutory Rape And Exposing His Minor Victim To HIV [Video]

By Patricia Ramirez
Published on: 06:35 PST, Sep 19, 2016

John Connor III, a Tennessee dance coach who has appeared on Lifetime’s Bring It reality TV show and who is well known for coaching the Infamous Dancerettes on the series, has been arrested on serious and disturbing charges. The Tennessee dance coach, who also recently reportedly survived a suicide attempt, has been arrested and charged with two counts of soliciting sexual exploitation of a minor and two counts of statutory rape by an authority figure.

In addition, Tennessee dance coach John Connor III is HIV positive, reports Fox 13 Now, and is facing two charges of criminal exposure to HIV for allegedly having repeated unprotected sex with his victim, identified only as being a teenage male.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E0Wg_XQIcI

Reportedly, John Connor III’s victim was just 16-year-old when the then-26-year-old Tennessee dance coach began a sexual relationship with the minor.

According to investigators, dance coach John Conner III met his young victim on an unnamed social media site. Authorities claim that John Conner III exchanged sexually inappropriate text messages with his victim, and allegedly the Tennessee dance coach never disclosed to the underage teen that he suffers from HIV. Law enforcement claims that while he didn’t tell his teenage alleged statutory rape victim about his HIV status, John Conner III did know that he was HIV positive and continued to have an unprotected sexual relationship with the teen.

Law enforcement involved in the investigation of the alleged crimes of Tennessee dance coach John Conner III say that the explicit text messages that were sent back and forth between Conner and his victim not only included nude photographs but incriminating statements as well. The dance coach and his alleged victim reportedly put into writing descriptions of their shared sexual encounters, something that may have helped law enforcement investigate the teen’s allegations.

As Blasting News reports, Tennessee coach John Conner III’s alleged crimes against the underage teen came to light when the unnamed teenage victim reported the activity to law enforcement. It was then that investigators also discovered that not only is John Conner III HIV positive, he’s also reportedly known about his HIV status since 2013. Despite that knowledge, he reportedly engaged in repeated unprotected sex with the teen. Conner was arrested and charged on Friday, September 16.

At this point, it is not known whether or not the alleged victim in the case was ever a dance student who was taught by the Tennessee coach. However, because John Conner III was charged with statutory rape by an authority figure, it is quite likely that his alleged victim was also his student, at least temporarily.

John Conner III, as previously indicated, rose to minor fame during a stint on Lifetime’s reality show Bring It. This is the second time in as many weeks that the Tennessee coach’s name has been in the news. Just two weeks ago, Conner reportedly attempted to take his own life by overdosing on unidentified pills. He reportedly admitted on Facebook that he tried to commit suicide. He never divulged what kind of pills he used in the attempt.

It is also unclear whether or not Tennessee coach John Conner III’s suicide attempt earlier this month was somehow related to the statutory rape and other charges he is currently facing.

Reportedly, the dance coach turned himself over to law enforcement willingly. It is unknown whether or not the minor allegedly exposed to his HIV positive status has been infected with the virus.

Despite the serious nature of the unthinkable charges that have been levied against him, Conner has maintained his innocence. It is unknown whether or not he has retained legal counsel to help him fight the allegations he’s facing. Tennessee dance coach and reality TV alumnus John Conner III is currently incarcerated in the Shelby County Jail and is being held on $100,000 bond.

[Featured Image by Shelby County Sheriff’s Office]

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