Former teacher pleads to sex charges

Bronson Shay Ward

Former Cleburne County Teacher Bronson Shay Ward of White Plains,  accused of having sex with two students, has plead guilty to three of the five charges against him.  Ward was facing four charges in Calhoun County and one charge in Cleburne County of sex or deviant sex by a school employee with a student under the age of 19. The Calhoun County charges involved two students and the charge in Cleburne County involved one student. Ward faces a minimum sentence of two years and up to 20 years in state prison for each of the three charges. He also could be fined up to $30,000 for each charge.  The two Calhoun County charges involving the other student could still go to trial in Calhoun county.  A sentencing hearing fir Ward is scheduled for Feb. 28 at 9 a.m. in Calhoun County Circuit Court.  The other two charges against Ward were presented Tuesday tothe Calhoun County Grand Jury.   With his guilty plea, Ward is now considered a sex offender. When he is released from jail he will have to register as a sex offender where he lives and under Alabama law he will no longer be eligible to teach in a school.