A Mendocino College professor who has been charged with six felonies related to child abuse could face additional charges, a prosecutor said during a hearing in Mendocino County Superior Court last week.
Jason Davis, a 54-year-old Ukiah resident and an English professor who has been placed on administrative leave at Mendocino College, has been charged with abuse of a minor that allegedly started when the girl was 13 years old. He was booked into Mendocino County Jail on Nov. 20.
Deputy District Attorney Robert Waner said during the hearing that the Ukiah Police Department has found evidence indicating more charges could be filed against Davis in the near future.
“There will very likely be additional charges coming in this case. What needs to be at the forefront of the court’s mind is that this man engaged in a dating, sexual, cohabitating relationship with a 13-year-old,” Waner said during the hearing. “We will show that he knew her age … A mistake of age will not be a defense in the case. You must also consider that Mr. Davis had a decades-long career working with young people.”
Mary LeClair, who served as Davis’ stand-in attorney during Thursday’s hearing, said that his bail, originally set at $1 million, should be reduced because it was not a reasonable amount and that he should be released to spend time with his children.
“I believe he should be released on his own recognizance and would comply with reasonable conditions, such as ankle monitoring and supervision by the probation department,” LeClair stated. “He’s not a flight risk, he really doesn’t have anywhere to go.”
At the hearing Thursday, Judge Keith Faulder decreased Davis’ bail to $285,000.
This story originally appeared in The Mendocino Voice.