HARTSELLE, Ala. — A 34-year-old Guntersville man has pleaded guilty to two felony charges stemming from a Hartselle Police Department investigation involving a minor.
Shawn “Tyler” Pledger entered guilty pleas Monday to two counts of second-degree sodomy involving a minor, according to Hartselle Police Lt. Lesley Sheffield. Following the plea, Pledger was booked into the Morgan County Jail to begin serving his sentence.
The case dates back several years. A Morgan County grand jury indicted Pledger in 2024 on two counts of second-degree sodomy and two counts of second-degree sexual abuse. The charges followed an investigation conducted by Hartselle police.
The guilty pleas resolve the criminal case against Pledger more than two years after the original indictment.
Connection to Hartselle Family Tragedy
Pledger’s name may also be familiar to residents of Hartselle because of a separate and unrelated tragedy that devastated the community earlier this year.
Pledger was the father of 7-year-old twins Bryleigh Grace and Brynleigh Nell Pledger, who were involved in a fatal April 11, 2026, crash at the intersection of Highways 157 and 24 in Moulton.
Bryleigh died following the crash, while Brynleigh suffered critical injuries and later died after spending several days hospitalized.
Their mother, Ashley Hagood, and 13-year-old brother, Bryant Ballew, also died in the crash. Another child, Bentley Pledger, survived and was later released from the hospital.
The deaths prompted an outpouring of grief throughout the Hartselle community. Hundreds of people gathered to remember the family, making the April tragedy one of the area’s most devastating events of the year.
A GoFundMe campaign established to support the Pledger family following the crash raised more than $40,000.
Criminal Case Predates Crash
Authorities emphasized that Pledger’s criminal case is separate from the April crash. The grand jury indictment was issued in 2024, well before the fatal accident.
The Hartselle Police Department’s investigation into the allegations ultimately resulted in the four charges filed against Pledger. His guilty pleas Monday to the two sodomy charges bring the department’s criminal case to a conclusion.
Details regarding the sentence imposed following the guilty pleas were not included in the information provided.
The case serves as a reminder that criminal proceedings can continue for years as investigators, prosecutors and courts work through serious allegations and charges.
Pledger remains in the Morgan County Jail following Monday’s proceedings.
