The Black Collar Crime Series relies on public news stories and publicly available information for its content. If any incorrect information is found, please contact Bruce Gerencser. Nothing in this post should be construed as an accusation of guilt. Those accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.
Jonathan Sauers, a science/Bible teacher and coach at Faith Academy in Mobile, Alabama stands accused of having an inappropriate sexual relationship 16-year-old girl. Faith Academy was started by Life Church in Mobile.
A teacher and coach at a Mobile County private school was arrested for allegedly having a sexual relationship with his 16-year-old student, authorities said Tuesday.
Mobile County sheriff’s deputies received a call Monday night from the parent of a 16-year-old girl about a possible sexual incident involving a teacher at a local private school, said Lt. Mark Bailey.
Deputies then spoke to the girl and her parents when the girl disclosed “she was currently in a sexual relationship with a teacher at her school,” Bailey said.
The lieutenant did not disclose the school because authorities were giving the principal time to notify students about the incident, but Fox 10 identified the teacher as Jonathan Sauers of Faith Academy in Mobile. He coaches boys soccer at Faith.
Mobile County jail records did not show Sauers’ arrest.
On Monday night, the girl drove to the Semmes Walmart to meet her teacher. The teacher then picked her up and drove not too far from where her vehicle was located, Bailey said.
They then engaged in sexual acts before the girl walked back to her vehicle, according to Bailey.
The girl had been away from her parents for about an hour to 1 1/2 hours.
“Her parents became concerned for her safety that she wasn’t back home by now. She told them she was going to Walmart to pickup school supplies,” Bailey said. “They went out, they found her car. Did not find their daughter in the car.”
The parents then went to the sheriff’s office to file a missing person’s report and deputies began searching for the girl.
They found her walking on Moffett Road, said Bailey.
Deputies brought her back to the Walmart when the girl disclosed the sexual relationship with her teacher.
Bailey said the teacher did not have a prior criminal history.
“Other than this, you would think that he is the model teacher,” he said, adding that the relationship was going on for several months. “He is a teacher and a coach.”
The teacher was charged with school employee engaging in a sex act with a student under 19 and school employee engaging in sexual contact with a student under 19 — both felonies. He faces between 10 to 20 years in prison on each count if convicted.
Bond has been set for a former Faith Academy teacher who is accused of having sex with a student. Jonathan Sauers, 44, was arrested earlier this week.
He is facing two felony charges — one count of a school employee sex act and one count of a school employee sexual contact with a student under 19.
His total bond for both his charges was set at $45,000. That’s $30,000 for the first charge and $15,000 for the second.
Sauers is also ordered to have no contact with anyone under the age of 18 and have no contact with anyone at any school in Mobile County.
Sauers coached at Faith Academy, and investigators say he also taught science and the Bible at the school for several years.
The investigation started Monday when deputies say the 16-year-old student told them she had been having a sexual relationship with Sauers for months.
Faith Academy released the following statement:
It is with a heavy heart that I write this. As many of you know, Mr. Jonathan Sauers was arrested for inappropriate conduct with a student. Faith Academy is providing full cooperation to the investigating authorities, and Mr. Sauers is no longer an employee at Faith Academy. Due to the active nature of this investigation, no further details can be provided at this time.
“We would, however, like to state that we are devastated by this news. It is out ongoing commitment and our deepest desire to give your children a quality, Christian education surrounded by those who exemplify Christ in their actions. We want to assure you that we are doing everything within our power to provide that, including utilizing an extensive vetting process for our facility.
“We covet your prayers for the entire Faith Academy family for healing and for our leadership’s wisdom and discernment as we move forward.”
Bruce Gerencser, 67, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 46 years. He and his wife have six grown children and thirteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.
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Well, he’s nailed,for sure ! That’s too bad, he looks decent enough to score without resorting to teens. What did he THINK was going to happen?
Reminds me of former IFB pastor and Hyles Anderson grad Chris Settlemoir and his arrest and conviction on charges of sexual abuse of male students.
So statutory rape is now “inappropriate conduct”? They undoubtedly also think that Trump was a “fine president”. Gah.