Early parole denied for former Central Baldwin Middle teacher

Bryan Pettibone remains in prison for sexual abuse of four former students

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Earlier this week, former Central Baldwin Middle School teacher Bryan Pettibone was denied early parole from his prison sentence stemming from a 2010 conviction for enticing and sexually abusing four former students.

Pettibone was a science teacher and boys basketball coach at CBMS. Evidence arose in 2008 that showed many text messages and calls between him and his victims, who were 13- to 14-years-old. Three of the girls said Pettibone had inappropriately touched them.

Pettibone was sentenced to 23.5 years in prison for those crimes, but, according to Baldwin County Assistant District Attorney Matt Simpson, had become eligible for parole.

Simpson, who successfully prosecuted Pettibone’s case in 2010, traveled to Montgomery to speak out against his possible parole.

“This is a person who sexually abused young women whom he was supposed to help teach and protect,” Simpson said. “Allowing him to go free eight years into a 23 and a half year sentence would simply be the wrong choice. It would not be fair to his victims, and it’s not the right call.”

While Pettibone was denied parole at this hearing, Simpson said he was still set to be released in Feb. 2019.

“It says something wrong about our prison system here in Alabama when someone who has sexually abused four young women only has to serve a fraction of his sentence,” Simpson said. “It’s disappointing and disheartening to see that justice is not being served here.”