Lindsey Whiteside, a former DeSoto Central High School assistant basketball coach, pleaded guilty to sex crimes against a child and was arrested on November 21, 2024.
She is the daughter of the late Robert Shannon “Shan” Whiteside and Gayle Betts Whiteside.
A grand jury has returned an indictment charging former Getwell Church youth minister Lindsey Whiteside, 26, with having sex with a child under her guardianship.
— Action News 5 (@WMCActionNews5) December 31, 2024
Whiteside faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted. https://t.co/KQ7oIz1C3T pic.twitter.com/FET4rJePCC
Lindsey has been sentenced to three years of house arrest for the sexual battery of a minor.
In addition to house arrest, she was sentenced to seven years of post-release supervision and must register as a sex offender.
She was accused of having a sexual relationship with an underage girl between May and November of 2024. On Monday, October 13, Lindsey accepted a plea deal.
After leaving the school, she worked as a youth pastor at Getwell Church in Hernando, where the victim was a member. A family member of the victim, who is now 18, said the girl was manipulated and betrayed by someone in a position of trust.
Evidence in the case included 64,000 pages of text messages and notes, with the abuse reportedly occurring during church trips.
The sentence has disappointed DeSoto County District Attorney Matthew Barton, who had requested the maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
This sentence is an absolute abomination of justice. It is not right. This is the reason why people question whether our institution actually serve victims.
District Attorney Matthew Barton
Lindsey Whiteside Followed in her Father’s Footsteps to Become a Basketball Coach
Lindsey Aldy Whiteside, the daughter of Robert Shannon “Shan” Whiteside and Gayle Whiteside, was born in 1999 in Southaven, Mississippi.
Her family members haven’t spoken about her house arrest for felony sexual battery of a minor.
Shan Whiteside was the son of Robert and Martha Aldy Whiteside, born on May 9, 1971, in Tupelo, Mississippi.
He was a member of the basketball and baseball teams of Magnolia Heights School and was a two-sport all-star for two years.
Later, he played tennis at Northwest Community College and basketball at Millsaps College.
Shan spent his adult life coaching high school basketball at DeSoto Central High School, Starkville Academy, Union High School, and Oak Hill Academy.
Similarly, he was a member of Getwell Road Methodist Church. He was active in the Young Marrieds Sunday School Class and served on the Administrative Council.
Shan married Gayle Betts Whiteside of Southaven, and they had three children, Lindsey, Leigh Allison, and Tyler Whiteside.
He had a peripheral allogenic transplant on February 28, 2005, but passed away from GVHD (graft vs. host disease), which affected his eyes, lungs, mouth, stomach, and skin.
The legendary coach passed away at the age of 34, on March 4, 2006, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis.
Gayle raised funds on her birthday on August 10, 2025, for the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP).
You paid the price, you took the cross.
Gayle Betts Whiteside
You gave your life, and you did it all with me on your mind.
There was me on your mind.
Thank You, Jesus! Lord, it was me on Your mind.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Lindsey Whiteside graduated from Northpoint Christian and played college basketball for Rhodes College.
- During her high school years, she was a State Champion and was named 2017 All-Regional Tournament MVP.
- She stands 5 feet 10 inches tall.
