BY ANNIE HOLLER
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

PIKEVILLE — A former Belfry Middle School substitute teacher was sentenced to two years in prison Aug. 5 after pleading guilty to third-degree rape involving a 15-year-old student.

Hunter Plymale, 28, of Kimper, entered the guilty plea in June before Pike Circuit Judge Eddy Coleman in a case stemming from a 2022 encounter with the student along a remote road in the Sidney area.

Kentucky State Police arrested Plymale in November 2023 following an investigation into the incident.

The case had been scheduled for trial but experienced multiple delays, including a change in defense attorneys and Plymale’s withdrawal of a guilty plea he had entered earlier in the proceedings.

Under Kentucky law, Plymale cannot be released on parole or another form of early release until he has served at least 85% of his sentence, or approximately 20.4 months. He also will be required to register as a sex offender following his release.

Plymale was 24 at the time of the 2022 offense.

The Pike County Board of Education terminated his employment during the investigation.