Police: Victim alleges Fort Mill dance instructor “inappropriately touched” him for 5 years

The dance studio operator arrested Friday in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a student at his North Carolina home also has been accused of “inappropriately” touching the boy over a five-year period at the Fort Mill recreation complex where he ran a dance program, Fort Mill police said Monday.

The alleged victim in the Huntersville, N.C., case filed a report Friday afternoon with the Fort Mill Police Department alleging that Eddie Mabry, 51, “inappropriately touched” him, said Maj. Bryan Zachary.

“We can confirm that the person who has made the allegations in both jurisdictions is the same person,” Zachary said.

The alleged victim, now an adult, was as young as 14 at the time the alleged assaults began, Zachary said.

The Herald does not identify alleged sexual assault victims.

Mabry was arrested Friday in Mecklenburg County, N.C., on charges of statutory rape and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Mabry has not been charged with a crime in Fort Mill, Zachary said. Fort Mill detectives planned to meet with Huntersville police Monday, he said, and are continuing the investigation into the allegations of criminal sexual conduct in Fort Mill.

Efforts to reach Mabry, who was released on $15,000 bond Friday from the Mecklenburg County jail, were unsuccessful Monday.

His lawyer, George Laughrun of Charlotte, said Monday that Mabry “adamantly denies” the North Carolina charges. He said he was unaware of allegations filed with Fort Mill police.

Mabry’s first court appearance is scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday in Charlotte, but Laughrun said he will appear on Mabry’s behalf and Mabry is not expected to attend.

The alleged victim told Huntersville police he was 7 when he started attending classes with Mabry, and later worked for him at the Fort Mill dance studio.

Mabry operated Eddie Mabry Talent for about 20 years at the Leroy Springs recreation complex in Fort Mill. The program was suspended indefinitely by recreation complex officials after learning of Mabry‘s arrest.

The future of the program, and a planned May recital, remains unclear.

This story was originally published March 30, 2015 at 2:56 PM with the headline "Police: Victim alleges Fort Mill dance instructor “inappropriately touched” him for 5 years."