Michael Melcher, of this post, was arrested in the fall of 2016 for sex crimes against children. This happened in Butler County, Kansas. Prior to living in that area, Melcher was a native of Marshall County, Kansas, and taught at Marysville High School, in Marshall County, Kansas. Many, many people in Marshall County thought he was not guilty, and insisted that the charges had been dismissed, when in fact, the case had been bound over for trial.Later on, in March of this year, Melcher incurred a guilty verdict, at which point, his employer, USD 490, finally terminated his employment. Had he not had so many enablers, tax payers would not have been required to pay for an extended leave of absence for this criminal. Melcher's picture also graces the sex offender registries, both state and national. Last week, he was sentenced to thirty-two months in prison.
Mr. Melcher's enablers can rest assured that the verdict is correct for three reasons. First, he finally came forward with an admission of guilt. He also offered a makeshift apology, which was never offered to anyone, prior to his arrest and court proceedings. Second, there was not only eyewitness evidence and testimony in the case, but electronic evidence, supporting the claims of the victims. Third, there was a victim statement at the sentencing. This is encouraging, because victims of these well connected creeps are usually not encouraged to speak in Kansas.
One question that is left unanswered here concerns how Mr. Melcher got away with these abusive predilections in Marshall County, Kansas; and specifically, who may have been paid to overlook the abuse. Marshall County attorney, Laura McNish, stated, upon running for election in 2013, that she wanted to "continue to partner with law enforcement, courts, schools and parents to promote justice, protect children, and uphold the law." Turning a blind eye to crime and allowing abusers to quietly move to other communities when victims file reports is obviously one of the county attorney's methods of protecting children! Finding out that crime and abuse are not accepted or appreciated in the rest of the known universe is always a shock for those who find favor with the court in Marshall County, Kansas.
I was one of Mike's best friends all thru high school and to hear that he was doing this in Marysville too sickens me. Would like to talk more about this please contact me at rockchalk2dabank2008@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to hear that. I have known a few people in the past who have made bad choices and ended up on the wrong side of the law, but nothing like what this teacher has done. What I find interesting is that his wife doesn't seem to have a problem with him over it, and was even telling people in Marshall County that the charges were being dismissed, when the case had actually been bound over for trial! Marshall County has some interesting priorities. I have never seen a community support that type crime while considering themselves a safe place that is wonderful for children. There were also adults who were upset that Miranda Cain went to prison, after acting as a madam and trafficking and eighth grader to men in a local hotel! I worry that Mike may get another job working in a school after he gets out, because a lot of his wife's friends are teachers, and do not seem to want to listen the law, the court, or his victim.
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