Former W.S. Neal coach pleads to single sex charge

A former W.S. Neal High School girls softball coach, who was arrested on Aug. 17, 2017, accusing him of engaging in sex acts with two high school girls, pleaded guilty Monday to one count of sexual solicitation by a school employee of a student under the age of 19.

Jason Paul Blaney, 42, 4884 Highway 4, Jay, was given a suspended sentence and placed on two years of unsupervised probation. He will also have to register as a sex offender.

Blaney was originally indicted for enticing a child for immoral purposes, sexual abuse I, attempted sodomy I and sexual solicitation by a school employee of a student under the age of 19.

In the plea agreement, the first three charges were nol prossed.

Prior to being arrested, the Escambia County School Board accepted his resignation on April 13, 2017.

Other details about Blaney's original alleged crimes were sealed and not available through a public records request.

Part of the plea agreement is that Blaney have no contact with the victim(s) and he also cannot posses firearms.

Blaney pleaded guilty to a class A misdemeanor and court records note he entered a "Best interest plea" in pleading guilty.

Escambia County District Attorney Steve Billy said he agreed to the plea agreement for several reasons, including the victims and their families being on board.

"There's no more presumption of innocence," Billy said. "He stood in open court and admitted what he did."

Billy said the victims in the case have moved on with their lives and if the case went to trial, they would have had to testify.

"They didn't want to come to court," Billy said. "This way he's a convicted sex offender and he'll never teach again."