Grand jury indicts James Horton

An arraignment date has been set for James Lamar Horton, 71, for April 25, following a grand jury indictment.

Horton was on the March grand jury docket, during which the grand jury added two charges and set the arraignment date, according to district attorney Joey Rushing.

Horton was indicted on four counts of indecent exposure, two counts of sexual abuse of a child less than 12 years old, aggravated criminal surveillance and two counts of a school employee having sexual contact with a student under 19 years old.

He was arrested in January 2018, after the State Bureau of Investigation launched an investigation into Horton at the Red Bay Police Department’s request.

Rushing said the two original sexual abuse charges are class B felonies worth two to 20 years each. The grand jury added on the two counts of a school employee having sexual contact with a student under 19 years old because Horton was a volunteer at Red Bay school through the Foster Grandparent Program.

“I expect them to set a trial date quickly because I don’t think they’ll settle based on the severity of the allegations and the number of victims,” Rushing said.

Horton has been released on bond.