A Tennessee elementary school teacher has been charged with rape after police say she sexually assaulted a 12-year-old boy.
Alissa D. McCommon, 38, who teaches fourth grade at Charger Academy in Covington, Tennessee, was arrested at her home by the Covington Police Department Friday.
McCommon was arrested on allegations of sexual misconduct with multiple juveniles in a multi-jurisdictional investigation, according to The Tennessean.
She was charged with one felony count of rape of a child, Tipton County General Sessions court records show.
McCommon was booked into the county jail Friday and posted a $25,000 bond on Saturday, a jail spokesperson told USA Today.
In a Facebook post, Covington police said additional charges are pending.
Investigators in Covington and Tipton County, Tennessee, said a teacher Alissa D. McCommon had assaulted a student and was grooming others. https://t.co/vfxMvCMe0c
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) September 13, 2023
“Covington Police Department Detectives continue to investigate this terrible exploitation and abuse of these young boys. We expect to also develop the investigation to determine accountability of other adults in the case, including those who were aware of the abuse, and those who allowed or provided locations for such illegal acts to occur. I am thankful for the continued assistance by Tipton County School officials during this investigation,” said Covington Police Chief Donna Turner.
“I have also spoken with the US Attorney’s Office, and we intend to pursue any appropriate federal charges related to the sexual exploitation of these victims utilizing cellphones, inappropriate relations, and activities across jurisdictional State lines. We will prosecute this case to the fullest and will continue to support the victims and their families during all aspects of the investigation.”
McCommon was booked into the county jail Friday and posted a $25,000 bond on Saturday.
According to a criminal complaint, detectives were told about the alleged rape when the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services contacted police regarding reported sexual misconduct between McCommon and a former student, The Tennessean reported.
The student, who is now 16 but was 12 and in seventh grade at the time of the alleged rape, met with police on Aug. 24. The teen said he had spent the night at McCommon’s house several years back and at some point that night, McCommon woke him up and sexually assaulted him, the boy told detectives, according to USA Today.
Police said “multiple juvenile victims” also came forward claiming McCommon befriended them and began playing video games with them online, police said.
The juveniles told law enforcement authorities that McCommon reportedly communicated with them through cell phone social media apps and allegedly sent inappropriate photographs and “requested sexual relations” with the victims, police said.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of those who may have been affected by the events as outlined by law enforcement,” Tipton County Assistant School Superintendent Rebekah Byrd said in a statement.
McCommon is slated to appear before a judge Wednesday, a court clerk told USA Today.
