Judge revokes bail for former teacher accused of kidnapping teen

A judge revoked bail Wednesday for a former Las Vegas kindergarten teacher prosecutors say contacted a 16-year-old girl he is accused of kidnapping for a sexual relationship.

Melvyn Sprowson, 46, is awaiting trial on charges of first-degree kidnapping, unlawful use of a minor in the production of pornography and child abuse, neglect or endangerment.

When District Judge Stefany Miley reduced Sprowson’s bail last year, she ordered him to have no contact with the teen, stay off the Internet and not contact anyone younger than 18. Sprowson then posted bail and moved to Oklahoma with a family member.

Last month, Sprowson reached out to the girl on Instagram, prosecutors said.

The girl’s mother called Henderson police after hearing her daughter scream “he found me,” according to prosecutors.

The girl had received messages on the social media site from someone using the nickname “audrey_6697,” court records indicate.

“It’s me Mel,” one message linked to Sprowson’s email address stated. “I’ll get in trouble if they find out I’m talking to you. Please don’t say anything to anyone.”

Through an email to his attorneys, Sprowson denied contacting the girl, instead suggesting that a woman named Lisa Thompson, whom he met at a bar in Oklahoma, may have sent the messages.

He said he spent several nights at a Delux Inn in Lawton, Oklahoma with the woman, and had her check his email for him, so he would not violate his bail.

“I don’t know if Lisa ever looked (the victim) up on the internet, or created an Instagram account, but she had the opportunity, the information, and the device to do so,” Sprowson wrote. “I have not contacted (the victim), and I have kept all of my bail conditions in good faith.”

Defense lawyers said Sprowson, who has since found work in property management, rode a bus from Oklahoma to attend Wednesday’s hearing.

Prosecutor Jacqueline Bluth said she did not believe Sprowson’s account of how the girl was contacted.

“I don’t know why some lady named Lisa would want to contact the victim,” Bluth said. “And it just so happens that he’s never seen or heard from her since. To me, that story is ridiculous. The defendant knew exactly what he was doing.”

Miley found that Sprowson had violated the conditions of his bail.

Sprowson is accused of having the girl send photos of herself to him and convincing her to spend two months at his home.

In late 2013, Sprowson posted an ad on craigslist.org titled “Lonely Millionaire,” listing a phony age of 30, and the girl responded by telling him her age, according to court records. The two exchanged photographs before meeting at a rollerskating rink.

She later spent two nights at his apartment, and he gave the girl a “promise ring,” court records state. The girl’s mother took away her cell phone after discovering she had lied about where she was staying. But the girl emailed Sprowson and had him pick her up. He told her to bring her social security card and birth certificate.

In late August 2013, the girl’s mother reported her as a runaway.

Sprowson planned to keep the girl at his apartment until she turned 17-and-a-half years old, so they could get married, according to the court records. He removed her from school and prohibited boys from entering his apartment while she was there, the records stated. When Sprowson did take the girl outside, he dressed her in a hat, glasses and baggy clothes.

He told the girl that “if they ever get into a position where they were found … she would just keep coming back,” court records stated.

Defense lawyer John Momot has said that the girl was as responsible for the affair as was his client.

Bluth said the girl has since attended an inpatient therapy program in order to cope with the abuse from Sprowson.

“To think that he would even contemplating contacting her is beyond the state’s wildest dreams,” Bluth said.

Contact reporter David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Find him on Twitter: @randompoker