Former elementary school resource officer accused of taking part in sex trafficking conspiracy
John Towery was former resource officer at Fair-Oak Elementary School
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Updated: 5:37 PM EDT May 7, 2021
Former elementary school resource officer accused of taking part in sex trafficking conspiracy
John Towery was former resource officer at Fair-Oak Elementary School
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Updated: 5:37 PM EDT May 7, 2021
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A DEVELOPING STORY THIS AFTERNOON A FORMER SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER IS FREE ON BOND RIGHT NOW AFTER BEING FEDERALLY INDICTED WITH SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF A MINOR AND CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT SEX TRAFFICKING OUR ISLAND. DEVLIN IS LIVE ON THE STORY IN OCONEE COUNTY THIS AFTERNOON, ALAN GOOD EVENING. WHAT DO YOU KNOW RIGHT NOW? YEAH, GOOD EVENING, MICHAEL THE MAN ARRESTED JOHN TOWERY USED TO BE A RESOURCE OFFICER AT FAIR OAKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN WESTMINSTER HERE IN OCONEE COUNTY. HE WAS FIRED BACK IN MARCH AND AT THE TIME MIKE CRENSHAW COUNTY SHERIFF TOLD US THAT FIRING WAS BECAUSE OF A HOMELAND SECURITY INVESTIGATION ACCORDING TO FEDERAL INDICTMENTS. JOHN TOWERY WAS ARRESTED ON MAY 3RD. HE’S CHARGED IN CONNECTION TO A SEX TRAFFICKING CASE THAT INCLUDES FOUR OTHER DEFENDANTS THE INDICTMENT. USES TOWERY AND FOUR OTHERS OF RECRUITING A MINOR TO ENGAGE IN SEX ACTS AND TAKING PICTURES OF THE MINOR INVOLVED IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY AMONG OTHER THINGS SOME OF THE OTHER DEFENDANTS HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY ACCUSED OF CRIMINAL SEXUAL CONDUCT CHARGES AS I SAID EARLIER TOWERY WAS A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER AT FAIR OAKS ELEMENTARY FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS THE PRINCIPAL OF FAIR OAK ELEMENTARY DAVID THOMPSON SAYS THAT WHILE THE CHARGES ARE CONCERNING THE STUDENTS AT FAIR OAK WERE NOT AND HAVE NOT BEEN IMPACTED BY TOWERY’S ACTIONS. WE HAVE NO EVIDENCE THAT AT ANY TIME A CHILD HERE WAS EVER AN ENDANGERMENT AND AND THAT’S YOU KNOW, MY FAMILY’S KNOW ME. I’M LIKE A FATHER TO THESE KIDS AND I WILL ALWAYS BE AND WILL PROTECT OUR KIDS AND SO I JUST REST ASSURED THAT THE INVESTIGATION BEEN DONE AND AND WE’RE MOVING FORWARD. IN A STATEMENT RELEASED WYFF NEWS 4 COUNTY SHERIFF MIKE CRENSHAW SAID IT IS THIS HEARTENING TO THANK ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER WOULD BE INVOLVED IN THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR. AND THIS IS WHY AGENCIES HAVE INVESTIGATORS TO CATCH THIS ILLEGAL ACTIVITY TOWERY PLEADED GUILTY TO THE CHARGES. I’M SORRY. HE PLEADED NOT GUILTY NOT GUILTY TO THOSE CHARGES EARLIER AND HIS BOND WAS SET AT 25,000. HE ALSO HAS A GPS MONITORING AND IS SECURED ON HOUSE ARREST AT THIS TIME FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT CASE YOU CAN GO TO WYFF4.COM TO READ HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT HERE IN MAY FOR NOW. WE ARE LIVE