GRAINGER COUNTY, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT) – A Grainger County school board member is indicted on three counts of statutory rape charges.
Steve Blanken was arrested in February after a parent came forward about a possible inappropriate relationship involving a child between December 2025 and February.
WVLT reporting the incident happened at a remote location in Grainger County involving a 16-year-old.
Following the incident, school leaders banned Blanken from school property and met with an attorney, who said they’d have to request the Attorney General, District Attorney, or county attorney take action because they’re the only ones who can remove him from his seat as Blanken is an elected official.
In a letter to District Attorney Jimmy Dunn, Grainger County Director of Schools Mark Briscoe said “Should at any point moving forward Mr. Steven Blanken plead guilty or stand convicted of the above referenced crimes (statutory rape), and/or any act ‘constituting a violation of any penal statute involving moral turpitude,’ that your office then without further delay or hesitation initiate ouster proceedings as allowed and provided under Tennessee law.”
Now, Blanken has been indicted by a grand jury on three counts of statutory rape.
