Former Oxford High School physics teacher James Reidy has been indicted on two charges of sexual battery by a person having authority over the victim.

Reidy, 54, was arrested in September after the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department received a call from the Oxford Police Department saying they had received information from the Department of Human Services hotline that Reidy was having sex with a student.

After a probable cause hearing in September, a warrant was issued for Reidy’s arrest and he was given a $25,000 bond.

The Lafayette County grand jury indicted Reidy on two counts of sexual battery on Feb. 12. He remains out on his original bond and a trial date has not yet been set.

According to the indictment, Reidy allegedly had sex with his then 16-year-old student in the fall of 2016 and then again in the fall of 2017.

The offenses reportedly occurred in Lafayette County.

If convicted of both charges, Reidy could face a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.

Reidy was terminated from his position at Oxford High School after his arrest in September.

An AP chemistry and physics teacher, he worked at OHS for 24 years and was a teacher for 26 years. He was chosen by a student as the school’s STAR teacher 12 times and was inducted into the STAR Teacher Hall of Fame in Mississippi in 2015.

 

Two charged with attempted escape

Two men being held at the Lafayette County Detention Center were indicted by the grand jury for attempting to escape the facility in December.

According to the indictment handed down in February, Cedrick Williams and Blaine Burrell attempted to escape the Detention Center on Dec. 9, 2017, by opening and entering the ventilation system, leaving the inmate area through the ceiling.

Williams, 33, was being held on no bond after being arrested in November for allegedly robbing the Oxford Discount Tobacco store. Burrell, 25, was being held on a charge of felon in possession of a firearm. Both men were also indicted on their original charges by the February grand jury.

Attempted escape carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

Williams was charged as a habitual offender, which carries a possible sentence of life in prison.

 

Other indictments handed down by the February grand jury:

• Jon Logan Simmons, no age or address provided. Charge: possession of THC wax.
• Christopher Roper, no age or address provided. Charge: fleeing law enforcement, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer
• Crystal Townsend, 28, Oxford. Charge: conspiracy to commit robbery
• Joseph Schuler, 28, Tennessee. Charge: malicious mischief
• Thomas Carlock, 18, Georgia. Charge: sexual battery
• William Bernard Robinson, no age or address provided. Charge: aggravated domestic violence
• Bryan Brown, 31, Tupelo. Charge: child abuse
• River Fowler, no age or address provided. Charge: burglary of a dwelling
• Ale Burt, no age or address provided. Charges: burglary, robbery, fleeing and kidnapping
• Shona Johnson, 39, Oxford. Charge: child abuse
• Franklin Manning, no age or address provided. Charge: commercial burglary
• Quana Herron, 38, Oxford. Charge: false pretense
• Carson Mohler, 19, Indiana. Charge: possession of cocaine
• Darqula Goolsby, 33, Oxford. Charges: trafficking a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, felon in possession of a firearm and habitual offender
• Bethany King, 26, Abbeville. Charges: possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of cocaine
• Anthony Terrelle Jones, 28, Abbeville. Charges: possession of a controlled substance and felon in possession of a firearm
• Kedrick D. Neilson, 18, Maryland. Charge: three counts of possession of a controlled substance
• Brandon Houston, 24, Olive Branch. Charge: aggravated domestic violence
• Marshall Peebles, 22, Oxford. Charge: aggravated domestic violence
• D’Marius Keshan Madkins, 21, Horn Lake. Charge: aggravated domestic violence
• Shydarikia Keysha Folson, no age or address provided. Charge: burglary of a dwelling
• Roderick Daniels, 29, Oxford. Charge: possession of a stolen firearm
• Kharai Steele, 23, Grenada. Charge: robbery
• Steven L. Black, 22, Grenada. Charge: robbery
• Allen Mathis, no age provided, Oxford. Charge: five counts of vehicle burglary
• Jeffery Clements, no age or address provided. Charges: sale of a controlled substance and felon in possession of a firearm
• Corvey Payne, 26, Greenwood. Charge: trafficking cocaine
• Kedrick DeShaw Neilson, no age or address provided. Charge: sale of a cocaine
• Connie Campbell, no age or address provided. Charge: sale of cocaine
• Mike Pegues, no age or address provided. Charges: two counts of possession of cocaine and sale of marijuana
• Melvin Tracey Jr., no age or address provided. Charges: manufacturing marijuana and felon in possession of a firearm
• Richard Ward, 34, Oxford. Charge: possession of hydrocodone
• McKendrick Bound, 25, Water Valley. Charge: possession of marijuana with intent to sell
• Demonta Redmond, 32, Oxford. Charge: possession of a controlled substance
• Andrew Goodwin, no age or address provided. Charge: possession of a controlled substance
• Jakarius Flowers, 23, Ruleville. Charge: possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell
• Timothy Blaylock, no age or address provided. Charge: kidnapping and attempt of aggravated domestic violence
• Ryan Hunter Swider, 30, Abbeville. Charge: commercial burglary
• Titus Malik, no age or address not provided. Charge: burglary of a dwelling
• Kendrick Flowers, 22, Batesville. Charge: burglary of a dwelling
• Desmond Phillips, 57, Oxford. Charges: burglary of a dwelling, possession of a firearm, kidnapping and habitual offender
• De’ Anthony Forest, no age or address provided. Charge: touching a 12-year-old child for lustful purposes
• Carlos Barnes, 37, Oxford. Charge: touching a 15-year-old child for lustful purposes
• Walter Gomez Hernandez, no age or address provided. Charge: sexual battery of a child 14-16
• David Quick, no age or address provided. Charge: aggravated domestic violence
• Bryan Rikard, 22, Oxford. Charge: sexual battery of a child under 14
• Sidney McCullough, 56, Batesville. Charge: aggravated assault
• Alexander McDougal, 18, Oxford. Charge: burglary of a dwelling
• Ted Stacks, 30, Coldwater. Charge: felon in possession of a firearm
• Anthony Charlton, 30, West Memphis, Arkansas. Charge: grand larceny
• Jeffrey Clements, age and address not provided. Charge: possession of a stolen firearm and possession of a firearm
• Lindsey Berry, no age provided, Memphis, Tennessee. Charge: felony shoplifting
• Keyona Perry, 23, Oxford. Charge: malicious mischief
• Brodrick Rogers, 22, Oxford. Charge: auto burglary

Staff writer Allen Brewer contributed to this report.