McElroy to remain behind bars
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The defendant, Johnny Lee McElroy, 54, waived his right to a preliminary hearing at the courthouse in Spencer and was bound over to the next session of the Van Buren County grand jury which is scheduled to meet this month. He remains held under $495,000 bond, facing nine counts of sexual battery by an authority figure. The crimes carries three to six years in prison.
According to his attorney, John Partin, the defense is continuing its evidence gathering pending the case going before the grand jury.
?We are still gathering information and we?re not ruling out any options once the case makes it to circuit court,? said Partin, noting a request for bond reduction may come at that time.
McElroy, who had been with the school system since 1998 and is also a Church of Christ preacher, was a high school teacher who first met his victim when he taught her in the sixth grade at Van Buren County Middle School. Investigators say the sexual contact between the two happened in numerous places including his classroom during school hours, at the city park and in a moving vehicle. Investigators also say more charges are likely to come as the investigation has continued since McElroy?s arrest in February. His alleged victim is now 15.
Given the comparisons with the Pamela Rogers case, since McElroy was arrested just two days before Rogers was released from jail prior to her two probation violations, prosecutors say McElroy could face significant jail time if convicted given the emotional harm they say came as result of the alleged grooming and long-term involvement.
Prosecutors say there are very few similarities in the facts in the Rogers and McElroy cases aside from the obvious teacher-pupil scenario.