North Cobb High School sentenced in ‘sexting' case

A teacher and track coach at North Cobb High School was sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to exchanging explicit images with a student.

According to Cobb County District Attorney Vic Reynolds, Ryne Thomas Thackston, 30, sent nude images of himself to a student on the team he coached in 2013.

He also had sexual images of the girl on his phone, according to reports. 

Midway through a bench trial in his case, Thackston pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children, and one count of electronically furnishing obscene material to minors.

At his sentencing hearing Tuesday afternoon, ADA Hannah Palmquist urged Cobb Superior Court Judge Stephen Schuster to reject the defense's request for probation and appropriately punish Thackston for his actions.

Judge Schuster then sentenced Thackston to five years, with two years to serve in custody and the rest on probation.