Whitley County Athletic Director freed on bond

Whitley County High School Athletic Director Mike Campbell is now free on bond after spending 47 nights behind bars in the Baltimore City Detention Center.

Campbell posted 10 percent cash of a $150,000 bond and was released from custody Monday.

Campbell, 49, pled not guilty to charges of second-degree assault, and first, second and fourth-degree sex offense during his arraignment Thursday in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City.

Up until that point, he had been held in jail without bond.

A May 14 trial date has been set in his case.

Baltimore Police Detective Jeremy Silbert said that on Jan 21, police received a call from a hospital reporting a sexual assault.

"When we arrived, we found a 23-year-old woman, who told us that her mother’s finance had sexually assaulted her on the night before," Silbert said.

The assault allegedly took place on Jan. 20 in the 1000 block of Hunter Street in Baltimore.

"The victim tells officers she was sexually assaulted by Michael Campbell. After our investigation was concluded, our detectives did arrest him," Silbert said.

Campbell was initially charged with second-degree rape, first and second-degree assault and second, third and fourth-degree sex offenses, but a grand jury opted not to indict him on the second-degree rape, first-degree assault or third-degree sex offense charges. The grand jury did add a first-degree sex offense charge.

"Mike Campbell denies these allegations. He will defend these charges aggressively," one of his defense attorneys, Paul Croley, said last month. "It is important that people understand that the allegations supporting the charge are entirely one-sided.

"Our investigation in its early stages has already revealed information that clearly contradicts some of the most serious allegations made in the police report. We anticipate uncovering further evidence supporting Mike’s innocence. At this point, he has not had an opportunity to tell his side of the story or to defend the remaining charges. He looks forward to his day in court and his opportunity to proving these allegations false."

Campbell was placed on unpaid administrative leave of absence from his position as Whitley County High School Athletic Director effective the day he was arrested.

Whitley County Superintendent Scott Paul noted in an e-mail Tuesday that Campbell’s leave situation "remains unchanged."
John Siler is serving as the acting athletic director.

Campbell served as the head coach of the Whitley County High School Football Team for 17 years before resigning after the 2005 season with a career record of 118-68 and becoming the school’s athletic director.

In late 2005, Campbell filed to run for Whitley County Judge-Executive. He garnered 1,863 votes in the Republican Primary the following year and finished third behind former Judge-Executive Leroy Gilbert, who had 2,253 votes, and current Judge-Executive Pat White Jr., who received 3,914 votes.