Grand jury indicts Graves County teacher, adds tampering charge to grooming case

Sadie Flores now faces two charges- grooming and tampering with physical evidence- following Tuesday's grand jury indictment.

I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.

Are you new here? Sign up for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support the mission and access in-depth investigations, exclusive interviews, and podcasts reserved for paid subscribers.

According to the Graves County Commonwealth's Attorney's office, 25-year-old teacher Sadie Flores was indicted on new charges Tuesday. Online court records show two charges: the original Grooming a Minor charge, and a new charge of Tampering with Physical Evidence.

The tampering charge is a significant development. It wasn't part of the original citation from last month, and it raises a new question: what evidence, and when? Tampering with physical evidence typically involves an allegation that someone destroyed, altered, concealed, or removed something relevant to an investigation- but at this point, court records don't specify what that evidence is or when investigators say the tampering occurred.

It's a reminder of something Sheriff Jon Hayden and Commonwealth's Attorney Shannon Powers had both told me directly: this investigation never stopped after the initial charge was dismissed at the preliminary hearing earlier this month.

Kentucky’s new grooming law hits its first legal test- and fails to clear it

The dismissal comes despite a citation describing secretive messages, late-night FaceTime calls, and a meeting kept from parents. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free

Shay InformedShay McAlister

Detectives kept reviewing evidence. Powers said all along he believed the case had what it needed to move forward- and Tuesday's indictment, now with an added charge, suggests the grand jury agreed there was more here than what a judge saw at that earlier hearing.

According to court records, Flores was arraigned on Tuesday after the grand jury concluded. She is expected back in court in December.

Quick recap, for anyone just catching up

Flores was arrested last month on a Grooming a Minor charge under House Bill 4, Kentucky's new grooming law that had only been in effect a few weeks at the time. The original citation alleged secretive messaging with a 14-year-old student, late-night FaceTime calls parents said they didn't know about, and a meeting kept hidden from school officials.

A judge dismissed that charge at the preliminary hearing, citing a lack of probable cause presented that day. But because the dismissal was without prejudice, prosecutors retained the ability to bring the case back- which they did, through the grand jury process.

Grand jury to hear Graves County grooming case Tuesday- here’s what’s at stake

A western Kentucky prosecutor is doubling-down on a case that is setting the tone for how a new law will or won’t work in the commonwealth. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.

Shay InformedShay McAlister

Kentucky Rep. Marianne Proctor (R), who sponsored House Bill 4, told me she believed the initial dismissal stemmed from a misinterpretation of the law- specifically, a mistaken belief that grooming requires proof of sexual contact, which she said the statute was deliberately written not to require.

What to watch next

With the indictment now filed and a tampering charge added, this case has clearly escalated rather than faded. I'll be following the status hearing in December and will continue reporting as more details about the tampering charge- including what evidence is at issue- become available.

Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed here! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.