RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WGNS News) - A Smyrna man who was arrested last year after being accused of sexually abusing children entered into a negotiated plea agreement late last week. Troy Harden (pictured above article), who was known to many in the community because of his former school bus route, was initially indicted by a Rutherford County Grand Jury in May 2025. Harden was arrested before the indictment was returned and has remained in custody since that time. Records also show that Harden has not driven a Rutherford County Schools bus route since the allegations became known to school officials. However, authorities have indicated that none of the identified victims were students assigned to Harden's bus route.

The indictment, which was initially sealed, outlined numerous felony charges against the Smyrna resident, including allegations of rape of a child. In total, Harden originally faced 41 felony counts. Throughout the judicial process, members of the Rutherford County District Attorney's Office worked with the victims and their families as prosecutors prepared the case. Prosecutors also worked closely with investigators to examine the extent of the allegations and the impact the alleged crimes had on those involved. As the case moved through the court system, Harden remained incarcerated at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center in Murfreesboro.

Harden, now 38, reportedly committed the offenses approximately three years ago, in 2023. At the time, he would have been approximately 35 years old, and the reported child or children involved in the case were minors. Last week, WGNS confirmed through Rutherford County District Attorney General Jennings Jones that guilty pleas had been entered in the case. Court records show those pleas resulted in four separate prison sentences.

According to official Rutherford County Circuit Court records, Harden entered guilty pleas this past Friday, October 23, 2026. Pleas were filed for a total of four felony counts, including two counts of aggravated sexual battery and two counts of statutory rape by an authority figure. Under the agreement, 37 of the 41 counts were dismissed. Records from Circuit Court Judge Jimmy Turner's courtroom show that Harden received a 10-year prison sentence for each conviction, with all four sentences ordered to be served at 100% in the custody of the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC). Although the individual sentences total 40 years, the court ordered certain sentences to run concurrently and others consecutively, resulting in a 20-year effective prison sentence. The guilty pleas and sentencing were entered into the court record on Friday, October 23.

41 Total Felony Counts in Original Indictment

The original indictment included the following charges:

• 21 counts of especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor

• 1 count of continuous sexual abuse of a child

• 5 counts of sexual battery by an authority figure

  

• 10 counts of statutory rape by an authority figure

• 2 counts of rape of a child

• 2 counts of aggravated sexual battery

Smyrna Police Detective Marcy Gossett led the investigation into Harden, while Assistant District Attorney Sharon Reddick prosecuted the case on behalf of the State of Tennessee. Harden was represented by Rutherford County Public Defender Russell "Rusty" Perkins.

Prior to his conviction, a victim impact statement was filed with the court this past June. Such statements are generally written, and sometimes read aloud, by victims of crimes to explain the physical, emotional and, in some cases, financial effects of an offense. In Tennessee, victim impact statements may be considered by the court during sentencing proceedings following a conviction or guilty plea.

Early in the investigation, Rutherford County Schools Chief Communications Officer James Evans confirmed that Harden had worked for a contractor serving the school district. Evans stated, "Troy Harden was a driver for one of our contractors last school year [referring to 2024-2025]. He has not driven any of our buses since that time." School officials reported that Harden was removed from his route after the allegations became known and that parents of students who rode his bus were notified. According to information released by the district, none of the victims identified in the criminal case were students assigned to Harden's bus route.

Harden has remained in custody since his initial arrest on March 13, 2025, which occurred before the sealed indictment was released. He continues to be held at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center. With sentencing now complete, Harden may remain in the local jail for approximately 30 to 45 additional days while awaiting transfer to a state prison.

Harden's effective prison sentence totals 20 years. Once he serves the full sentence, with credit for time already spent in custody, his projected release would be around March 2045, when he would be approximately 57 years old. However, an official release date has not been confirmed.

Under Tennessee law, Harden's convictions for aggravated sexual battery and statutory rape by an authority figure also carry a mandatory lifetime requirement to register as a violent sexual offender. Both offenses are classified as violent sexual offenses under Tennessee Code Annotated § 40-39-202. State law requires individuals convicted of these offenses to comply with sex offender registration requirements for the remainder of their lives. The law means that Harden will be on the registry while in prison, and for the remainder of his life when he is released from prison.

As of Monday afternoon at 1:45 PM, he has yet to be registered as a sex offender in the state database. Under state law, for those who are convicted of a sex offense and already being held behind bars, there is not a universal requirement for their name to appear on the public registry within 48-hours. However, registration timelines are not the same for someone already behind bars, as opposed to someone being released from jail or prison. Typically, those who are convicted are usually registered by the jail or prison of where they are being held within 48-hours of that conviction, excluding Saturday and Sunday. This means that Harden's name will likely appear on the registry between now and Wednesday morning.