Mich. HIV+ Teacher Gets up to 20 Years in Jail for Sex With Male Students

A former high school teacher who is HIV positive was convicted of having sex with teenage male students. When he appeared in court for sentencing on Sept. 14, he apologized to the victims and their families before being sentenced to between four and 20 years in prison for his actions, the Observer & Eccentric, which covers Michigan's Wayne County, reported.

Brandon Tomblin, 27, taught at Wayne Memorial High School in Canton, Mich., a township of 90,000 people 23 miles west of Detroit. Tomblin pleaded guilty to multiple criminal charges of third-degree criminal sexual conduct, fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, child sexually abusive activity, using a computer to commit a crime and distributing sexually explicit material to minors, the newspaper reports.

In addition, Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Brain Sumra told the judge that Tombilin, who was a vocal music teacher at the high school, did not tell the students that he was infected with HIV.

Tomblin agreed to receive counseling and therapy after admitting to having sex with two teens and trading nude pictures via cell phone with the other. The teacher, however, maintained that he did not coerce the students, who are 16, 17 and 18, into having sex with him.

The students testified in June and indicated that one sexual encounter occurred at Tomblin's teacher's office, another at one of the student's sister's house and another in a parked car. Another student said he did not have sex with the teacher but swapped X-rated pictures.

When Tomblin spoke at the courtroom he said he hopes his mistakes can serve as an example to students "what not to do in their adult life." He also told his parents, "I'm so sorry. I love you so much."