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Rutherford County Sheriff's Dept. investigating suspended Oakland assistant coach

Tom Kreager

USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee

MURFREESBORO — An Oakland High School teacher and basketball coach has been suspended without pay since April 17 pending the outcome of a criminal investigation by the Rutherford County Sheriff's Department, Rutherford County Schools spokesman James Evans told The Tennessean on Thursday night.

Oakland’s assistant boys basketball coach Tyler Soffiantino has been placed on unpaid leave pending a criminal investigation, Rutherford County Schools spokesman James Evans said on Thursday.

Tyler Soffiantino, who is listed on Oakland's website as a social studies teacher, is currently on leave. Soffiantino, a 2012 graduate of Wilson Central High School, has been at the school the past two years. He is an assistant boys basketball coach.

Evans said because the investigation is ongoing, he could not comment any further and directed all other inquiries to the Rutherford County Sheriff's Department.

Rutherford County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Lisa Marchesoni said Friday that the case is still under investigation, but was unable to release more details. She added that if the investigation involved juveniles it is possible no information would be released.

An email sent to Soffiantino seeking comment was not returned.

Reach Tom Kreager at tkreager@tennessean.com or 615-259-8089 and on Twitter @Kreager.