A McMinn County woman who was indicted on more than 20 sex charges with minors has been indicted with additional charges Tuesday.
In February, Melissa Blair, 38, of McMinn County was charged with 18 counts of aggravated statutory rape, four counts of human trafficking by patronizing prostitution and one count of solicitation. She was booked into the McMinn County Jail and later released upon making a $100,000 bond.
Blair Accused of Arranging Sexual Encounters with Underage Students
As previously reported, Blair was accused of arranging sexual encounters with underage male students of McMinn Central High School, where her child previously studied before being transferred to another school.
Blair was investigated after The Tennessee Department of Children's Services received a referral on Dec. 9, 2021, that alerted them of Blair having sexual encounters with the male students.
Days after receiving the letter, detectives with the sheriff's office arrived at Blair's home to execute a search warrant. The sheriff's office said it swiftly launched an investigation, revealing new information and identifying additional victims.
A Total of 18 Victims Identified
The new charges were added as nine more victims were identified, for a total of 18 victims. The McMinn County Grand Jury met on June 21 and indicted Blair with a total of 20 counts of sexual abuse charges. The charges are:
- Solicitation of a Minor (3 Counts)
- Solicitation of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor by Electronic Means (4 counts)
- Patronizing Prostitution (5 Counts)
- Aggravated Statutory Rape (6 counts)
- Sexual Exploitation of a Minor
- Exploitation of a Minor by Electronic Means
All of these incidents happened from spring of 2020 through late 2021. At the time, all of the victims were between the ages of 15 and 17. Blair reportedly had talked with the victims on social media, arranged to meet with them and traded "items for sexual encounters." Blair will remain banned from all McMinn County School properties or any activities with the school.
"I want to again commend our detective staff for the many hours of identifying, locating, and interviewing victims and their families, collecting physical and electronic evidence, as well as the many days of putting together the subsequent case file. But most importantly we want to offer support and resources to the victims and their parents as we move forward. By contacting the Sheriff's Office, the McMinn Co Schools Board of Education, or the District Attorney General's Office, victims and their families can be connected with available resources in coping with these incidents," said Sheriff Joe Guy.
