High School Football Coach Stands by Wife After She's Sentenced for Sexual Assault of Student

On Monday, 27-year-old Kelsey McCarter pleaded guilty to six counts of statutory rape and one count of exploitation of a minor for having sex with a 16-year-old student on her husband, Justin McCarter's, former high school football team in Knoxville, Tennessee, KRON reports.

Justin, who was an assistant coach for the South-Doyle High football team, has supported his wife through the trial.

"She made a mistake," McCarter's attorney, Doug Trant, said after the hearing, according to the Knoxville News-Sentinel. "She'll move past it. She's young and, as you saw, her family is here in support of her. Her husband is strongly supportive of her."

Kelsey was facing 38 years in prison and will be eligible for release after serving 30 percent of the sentence.

Justin had invited two students, who were brothers, to live with him and his wife after they began exhibiting behavioral problems. The brothers lived with the McCarters for about a year, during which time Kelsey had sexual relations with the younger boy multiple times between Feb. 1, 2015, and Dec. 31.

Justin resigned from his job in February 2016, and as of last year, the boys were living with their mother and attending Fulton High School.

"She's very sorry about what happened, she's sorry she put her family through this," Trant said. "It's tough and it will continue to be tough."

Photo Credit: Knox County Sheriff's Office