Former Nelson County coach pleads guilty to soliciting sex from minor

A former Nelson County Middle School librarian and high school track coach pleaded guilty this week to soliciting sex from a minor over the Internet.

Tim Bennett, 35, was arrested at his home in Amherst in late September. Police said Bennett contacted a Fairfax County police detective who was posing online as a 13-year-old girl.

According to Central Virginia Computer Crimes task force Investigator Chris Smith, Bennett initiated a sexual conversation and sent the detective sexual images of himself.

According to a warrant filed in the case, Bennett told the officer that he should not be having the online conversation with a 13-year-old girl.

Before being fired last fall, he coached cross country at Nelson County High School for seven years. He was also a coach with the school’s indoor and outdoor track-and-field programs.

He pleaded guilty Wednesday, Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Ian Rodway said.

Bennett is jailed in the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center without bond. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26.