Sex for Vape scandal: Melissa Blair, 38, had sex with NINE teenage boys in exchange for vape pens
ENGLEWOOD, TENNESSEE: People living in the town of Englewood in Tennessee are in shock after it was discovered that a woman had sex with at least nine teenage boys in exchange for vape pens. The suspect, identified as Melissa Blair, was taken into custody 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.
The 38-year-old accused reportedly had interaction with her victims, who are students at McMinn Central High School in the town of Englewood from spring 2020 to late 2021. Parents of those students have alleged that Blair lured their kids for sex by offering things like vape pens. Authorities believe that there are chances of more victims being targeted by the woman.
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Joe Guy from McMinn County Sheriff’s office said, “We suspect there may be additional juvenile victims and we encourage them or their parents to contact us. There may possibly be other victims who are now adults, and we also encourage them to contact us. This type of case is difficult and shocking even to us seasoned detectives, and I want to commend our staff for the many hours of identifying, locating, and interviewing victims and their families, as well as the many days of putting together the search warrant subsequent case file. But most importantly we want to offer support and resources to the victim and their parents as we move forward.”
According to officials, an investigation against Blair was launched after a referral from the Tennessee Department of Children's Services was received. It has been said that the school district had first got an anonymous letter. The suspect does not work for the district but was involved in the school’s booster club. Reportedly, her kid was also a student at the school system but has now been transferred. She has also been prohibited from entering school property and taking part in school activities.
A mother of one of the male students, who asked to remain anonymous, said, “We are devastated at this point. 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 are happy. 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.”
Englewood resident Christie Teague said, “Parents need to talk to their kids to speak up because it’s not right. It’s just really, really not right. I would be livid if it happened to my kids.” District Attorney General Steve Crump expressed his support to the victims by saying, “I want you to feel comfortable coming forward. We encourage you to come forward and talk to us, to talk to these investigators, so that we can make the fullest amount of justice possible for the most amount of people.”
Meanwhile, Blair is currently out of prison after paying a $100,000 bond last Tuesday night, February 15. She will reportedly appear before a court on February 28 for arraignment.