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Birmingham - The Huffman High School band director was arrested on Saturday and charged with sexual abuse by force and sodomy. Birmingham police Sgt. Johnny Williams says the abuse involved a student.
Patrick Jerome Whitehead was booked into and released from the Jefferson County Jail Saturday afternoon on 75 thousand dollar bond. Williams said the incident happened on Friday.
Whitehead also worked as a music minister at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham. The church's pastor, Reverend Arthur Price, Jr., describes Whitehead as someone who "always carried himself in an exemplary fashion." He calls the news shocking.
"We are devastated by what we've heard about the allegations. And as a church the Bible tells us, 'when one has overtaken to fault, you who are spiritual bare, care for him.' So right now we are praying for Whitehead and his family. We are praying for the other families involved," said Rev. Price.
Birmingham schools spokesperson Michaelle Chapman says Whitehead has been put on paid administrative leave from Huffman High School. He will be off the job pending an investigation.
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