Former Naylor assistant principal opts for bench trial in sexual assault case

The fate of a former Naylor assistant principal standing trial in March for allegedly sexually assaulting female students on campus now will rest in the hands of a Butler County judge.

In a hearing held earlier this week, John Franklin Mullins waived having a jury trial in his case and agreed to stand trial before Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett.

Mullins

The 56-year-old Gatewood man is charged with the unclassified felonies of first-degree rape and first-degree sodomy and two Class D felonies of sexual contact with a student.

Mullins is accused of sexually assaulting a then 16-year-old female student on Oct. 23, 2015, in a supply closet at the school.

It was during the investigation into those allegations that authorities learned of a possible second victim — a then 15-year-old female.

Mullins subsequently was charged with two Class D felonies of sexual contact with a student regarding the teen.

Mullins is to stand trial March 14-15 in Butler County on all the charges.

During that trial, the state may present evidence of Mullins’ alleged propensity to commit sexual-related crimes against children.

In a July 2017 hearing, Pritchett heard testimony from four of Mullins’ former female students, who alleged he had touched them inappropriately. Mullins’ alleged second victim was among those who testified at the hearing.

During her emotional testimony, the then 17-year-old described how Mullins allegedly had touched her, indicating he “touched my butt” under her pants and “my boobs under my shirt” at different times.

“When he touched my butt it was after class,” the teen said.

The incident, she said, occurred in a storage closet, and one incident took place when Mullins allegedly had given her a homework assignment, with the answers already on it.

Also testifying were three women, now in the early 20s, who had been students in Mullins’ science classes when they were eighth/ninth-grade students.

Two testified Mullins showed them notes, asking them to have sexual intercourse or deviate sexual intercourse with him. The notes, the women said, were written on sticky notes.

Mullins, according to one of the women, who was 23 at the time of her testimony, would lean over her as she was studying and “brush” his hand “in my breast area” or rub up against her inappropriately.

The alleged incidents, the woman said, happened prior to October 2015.

When the allegations against Mullins came to light in October 2015, Mullins immediately was placed on paid administrative leave per state statute.

Mullins later submitted his resignation, which was accepted by the Naylor School Board.

Board members also reportedly directed the district’s legal counsel to prepare charges before the State Board of Education to have Mullins’ teaching certificate permanently revoked.

Mullins, according to earlier reports, had been with the Naylor district since 2008, first as a junior high and high school science teacher, and later was named assistant high school principal.