WDAM
December 10, 2011
http://www.wdam.com/story/16230303/oak-grove-high-school-assistant-teacher-arrested-on-molestatin-charges
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| Wesley Topp - Courtesy of Forrest County Regional Jail |
A church nursery worker and Oak Grove assistant teacher charged earlier this week with the sexual battery of a minor under 14 years old was arrested again at 3:45 p.m. at his home in Hattiesburg on new charges.
Hattiesburg police arrested Wesley Topp, 26, on a charge of touching a child for lustful purposes. The victim is not connected to the earlier arrest. The incident allegedly occurred in 2010, however the family just learned of it.
Bond for Topp was set Monday at $400,000, and later reduced by judge Schmidt to $100,000 following a Dec. 2 arrest. He bonded out Monday, but is now back in custody.
Police said that incident allegedly took place somewhere within the 2400 block of Hardy Street in Hattiesburg.
Topp is a former employee at Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg which is located at 2420 Hardy Street. Eddie Rester, lead pastor at the church, said in a prepared statement, "We are saddened by the recent developments involving a former nursery worker employed by Parkway Heights in the church nursery. When we learned of the alleged incident we reported it immediately to the proper authorities and continue to cooperate fully with them in this matter.
"We feel it's important to note that the Early Encounters Day Care Center that is housed in our facility has no involvement in this matter. Early Encounters operates as a separate entity from Parkway Heights and there are no allegations against its staff.
"Until the investigation is fully complete it would be inappropriate for us to comment further. In the meantime, we ask that the community join us in prayer for those at the center of this investigation."
Lamar County Superintendent Ben Burnett said Topp is also an assistant teacher with a community-based special needs class at Oak Grove High School and is now on administrative leave. Burnett stressed Monday that the incident in question did not take place on campus and is not related in any way to Oak Grove High School.
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