A Tennessee woman has been arrested and charged after she reportedly had sex with at least nine local high school students in exchange for vape pens. Melissa Blair, 38, was arrested last week and charged with 18 counts of statutory rape, four counts of human trafficking by patronizing prostitution, solicitation of a minor, and forfeiture of personal property, according to WTVC-TV.
- The incidents took place between spring 2020 and late 2021. McGinn County Sheriff Joe Guy said Blair’s victims were students from McMinn Central High School in Englewood. She’s said to have reached out to the boys, who were between 14 and 17 years old, and offered them vape pens and other items in exchange for sex.
- Authorities began investigating Blair after the local school district received an anonymous letter. While Blair isn’t a teacher and isn’t employed by the district, she was involved in the school’s booster club and has a child in the school system. Her child has now been transferred and Blair is banned from the school property.
- One of the victim’s parents is devastated at what her son has been through. “I cannot in words describe what it feels like to be going through what we’re going through right now. It is every emotion that you can imagine. And none of them happy,” the mother, who chose to remain anonymous, said. “People focus mostly on the perpetrator. They don’t realize how it devastates a family. How the families are at home, and we don’t know what to do next. I have no idea how to go forward with this.”
- Police believe there could be more victims. While assaulting nine boys is more than enough to put Blair behind bars for life, authorities believe there could be more victims who haven’t come forward but are encouraged to do so.
- Blair is now free on bail. She posted $100,000 bond the same day of her arrest and is scheduled for arraignment on February 28.
