Former Okeechobee teacher Joel Huddleston guilty of conduct

OKEECHOBEE, Fla. -  Joel Huddleston, a former social studies teacher at Yearling Middle School, was sentenced Thursday for his contact with a minor.

A jury on Wednesday found him guilty of lewd & lascivious conduct on a child 12-15 years of age as well as tampering with a witness, according to a release from the Okeechobee County Sheriff's Office.

The Okeechobee School District suspended Huddleston, who also was the head coach for the girls basketball team, following his arrest last May.

A jury deliberated for an hour and then returned guilty verdicts on both counts, according to the Okeechobee County Sheriff's Office.

He was sentenced to 15 years in prison for each count and ordered to serve them concurrently. Upon his release he faces 15 years probation as a sex offender, according to the sheriff's office.