A former teacher's aide at J.L. Everhart Elementary in Longview was sentenced to five years in prison on Tuesday, January 7, 2025.
Cynthia Denise Talley, 58, pleaded guilty in December 2024 to three counts of injury to a child and one count of unlawful restraint. Talley was one of six educators accused of abusing 11 disabled students between 2019 and 2021.
In 2023, Longview ISD reached a $2.5 million settlement with the families of the affected children.
Other educators involved in the case include Cecilia Gregg, 59, and Paula Dixon, 61, both of whom have already been sentenced to eight years in prison—Gregg in April 2024 and Dixon in October 2023.
The remaining defendants, Cassandra Renee James, 50, and Linda Kaye Lister, 63, are scheduled for a status hearing on Wednesday. Priscilla Rose Johnson, 58, is set for a status hearing on February 5, 2025.
