A former principal of a Cobb County private school pleaded guilty to child molestation Monday afternoon and was sentenced to life in prison.
Jack Duane Hibbs, 58, of Marietta, entered his plea as jury selection was to begin in his trial on charges including four counts of aggravated child molestation, one count of sexual exploitation of children and three counts of child molestation, the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office said.
Hibbs assaulted three boys between 2011 and 2013, while he the principal of Faith Lutheran School, located on Lower Roswell Road in east Cobb. Some of the acts were committed inside the church, according to prosecutors.
“This case is about trust, manipulation, and molestation,” Lindsay Gardner, assistant DA, told the court. “A church and school is supposed to be a sacred place. A boy’s body is a sacred place … The evidence in this case has captured the pain and suffering of these boys and their families.”
Hibbs was principal of the school at the time of his August 2013 arrest, the AJC previously reported. The night of his arrest, a message from Hibbs remained on the school's website.
“In a world filled with followers, Faith Lutheran School is preparing children to become leaders,” Hibbs stated.
Hibbs was replaced at the school and has remained at the Cobb jail without bond since his arrest.
After Hibbs entered his plea, Judge A. Gregory Poole sentenced him to a life term. Hibbs must serve 30 years before he is eligible for parole.
“The evil that has come through is just horrendous,” Poole said. “You hunted some of them down and robbed them of their innocence. You cannot be trusted. No one else needs to worry you’re going to harm their children.”
Cobb police investigated the case.
About the Author
