PETERSBURG — A former teacher accused of sexually assaulting a female student is now facing a civil lawsuit, along with the Grant County Board of Education.

The suit, filed by JB Akers of Akers Law Offices on behalf of the student, stems from the multiple alleged sex crimes perpetrated by former teacher Jonathan McNemar.

“McNemar’s criminal conduct ran the gamut from sending sexually explicit messages to (the alleged victim) while she was in class to committing multiple instances of felony sexual abuse and assault in his Petersburg High School classroom. This happened on school time while V.H. was in school,”Akers said in a press release.

“(The alleged victim) and her family are very appreciative of law enforcement’s effort to protect both her and current students who were about to start the school year. They particularly want to thank Deputies Thorne and Mallow for their work.”

McNemar, 27, of Petersburg, is facing two counts of sexual assault in the second degree, soliciting a minor via computer, distribution and display of obscene matter to a minor and sexual abuse by a parent, guardian or person in a position of trust to a child, all felonies.

McNemar is being held at the Potomac Highlands Regional on a $115,000 cash/surety bond. McNemar resigned as a Grant County teacher after his Aug. 10 arrest.

According to the press release, the suit includes allegations that Petersburg High staff and/or administrators, who are mandatory reporters, knew of red flags surrounding McNemar’s behavior but failed to act.

“We believe there may be other victims,” Akers said in the press release. “We respect their privacy and won’t say more at this time. However, it unfortunately appears (the alleged victim) may not be the only one,” Akers said.

McNemar now faces both criminal and civil allegations, while the Grant County Board of Education is a co-defendant in the lawsuit.

“The law is crystal clear – it is criminal for a teacher to do what McNemar did. Grant County Schools was itself legally obligated to maintain a safe learning environment for its students,” Akers said in the press release. “(The alleged victim) is a brave young lady who is now fighting back. This should not happen to any student, ever.”

According to a criminal complaint filed in Grant County Magistrate Court by Deputy Sheriff S.D. Mallow, on July 26, officers spoke to a 19-year-old female at the Grant County Annex concerning an alleged sexual assault that occurred between April and June of 2018. The student described an incident which occurred between April and June of 2018 at Petersburg High School.

“While speaking to the female student, she described an incident which occurred between April and June of 2018 at Petersburg High School,” the complaint states. “This reocurring incident began as the female student’s 11th grade social studies teacher, Jonathan Michael McNemar, wanted to speak to her about rumors going around the school about her and him, privately in his classroom closet to ‘hug it out’ where no one could see them They went into the closet and (the student) reached for a hug, McNemar hugged her from the side and squeezed her buttocks without consent, she immediately left the classroom.”

According to the complaint, after the incident McNemar began soliciting her to send him sexually explicit images and videos of herself. The female allegedly sent the photos to McNemar via private messages. In April 2018, during McNemar’s instruction time with students, including the victim, he initiated a written sexual dialogue asking the student her sexual limitations. The dialogue was provided to officers, the complaint states.

“Towards the end of the school year, McNemar solicited the female student to his classroom, while school was still in session, to engage in oral sex on him via Facebook Messenger,” it states in the complaint. “Prior to the oral sex taking place, McNemar squeezed the female student’s breasts with his hand. The oral sex escalated to (intercourse) after she verbally expressed ‘no’ and ‘stop’ multiple times.”

According to the complaint, approximately one week later, McNemar solicited the female student, again, to his classroom where they again engaged in oral sex which again escalated to intercourse. The complaint states that on July 17, officers conducted a digital forensic examination of the victim’s cell phone and found conversations between the victim and McNemar.

The complaint states that, according to details provided by the victim, the incidents occurred at Petersburg High School. During the investigation officers confirmed that McNemar was employed as an 11th grade social studies teacher and the victim was attending his class at the time the events allegedly took place.