McMinn Co. Teacher Faces News Charges

A McMinn County woman accused of having sexual encounters with high school students is facing more charges, according to the sheriff’s office on Tuesday. Sheriff Joe Guy says 38-year-old Melissa Blair has been indicted second time by a grand jury on June 21, after nine more victims came forward following her first indictment in February. Blair is now charged with three counts of Solicitation of a Minor, four counts of Solicitation of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor by Electronic Means, 5 counts of Patronizing Prostitution, six counts of Aggravated Statutory Rape, one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, and one count of Exploitation of a Minor by Electronic Means. “These new charges are related to 9 new confirmed male juvenile victims, related to incidents which occurred from Spring of 2020 through late 2021,” said Sheriff Guy. “At the time of these incidents involving Melissa A Blair, the males were between the ages of 15 and 17. It appears in these cases, as before, that Ms. Blair was communicating with the juveniles on social media, arranging meetings with them, and trading items for sexual encounters with them. These latest 9 victims, added to the 9 victims previously discovered before the February Grand Jury, brings a total number of 18 male juvenile victims in this case.” Sheriff Guy says Blair was booked at the McMinn County Jail, where she is being held on a $100,000 bond. Blair is also banned from any McMinn County school properties or school activities.