Trial Set For Woman Accused Of Having Sex With Friend’s Underaged Son

Melissa Michelle Blampied
Melissa Michelle Blampied

A woman set to stand trial in a few weeks on charges of sexually molesting a teenaged boy in Sierra Vista back in 2018 and 2019 is not entitled to the youth’s school records, some of which date back several years before the alleged abuse, a Cochise County judge ruled Thursday.

Melissa Michele Blampied was arrested in August 2019 and later charged with two Class 6 felonies of “intentionally or knowingly” engaging in sexual intercourse with a minor. The teen’s mother and Blampied were friends, and at one point Blampied, now 48, worked as a nanny for the family, according to court records.

After several COVID-19 related delays, Blampied is set for a four-day trial starting March 2. Which is why she took part in a hearing held last week on a defense motion filed by her defense attorney, Natasha Wrae, who argued for the need of numerous records from the prosecutor and the teen’s family in order to prepare a “complete defense” for Blampied.

Wrae argued to Judge Timothy Dickerson that dozens of documents pertaining to the boy and his family needed to be reviewed, such as records from a school the teen attended several years ago in Korea, as well as four other schools he has attended. The request also included all police reports involving the family and any “CPS/DCS records” related to the boy or his family.

Those documents might details about teen or the family which could be relevant to the allegations against Blampied, Wrae argued.

It is undisputed that Blampied spent the night of April 23, 2019 in the family’s home. Which is the only thing all the parties agree on in a case that involved the parents’ delayed reporting of the suspected sex abuse for more than two months.

Court records show the teen’s parents came to immediately suspect inappropriate conduct between Blampied and the teen after a young child described activity witnesses as the three slept in the living room. However, the parents did not contact the Sierra Vista Police Department until July 3, 2019.

In support of Blampied’s arrest, Det. John Andela filed a probable cause statement which described the teen’s detailed recollection of two alleged incidents of unlawful sexual contact. The boy was 15 at the time of the first contact.

The detective also noted Blampied said it was possible she had sex with the boy but could not recall due to “drinking and drugging a lot.”

In addition, the teen’s father told Andela that “nanny cam” footage showed Blampied disconnected a camera in a hallway near the living room around 2 a.m. on April 24, 2019. But by the time Andela received the report 70 days later, the family said all that was available were still photos purportedly pulled from the surveillance cameras back in April.

The nanny cam images were included in the defense motion for additional disclosure. The motion demanded efforts be undertaken by the Cochise County Attorney’s Office to obtain any video recorded by the nanny cams for the three hours prior to and after Blampied purportedly turned off the hallway camera.

Prosecutor Michael Powell argued that if the parents say the video is no longer available, there is nothing the county attorney’s office can do about it. He also characterized the entire disclosure motion as “a fishing expedition to find information that can be used to bring humiliation and harassment upon the victim and his family.”

In addition, Powell argued “information is not discoverable unless it could lead to admissible evidence or would be admissible itself” and that any alleged actions or even misconduct by the teen’s parents “is irrelevant to whether or not the Defendant engaged in sexual intercourse” with a minor.

Dickerson agreed, ruling Blampied and her attorney failed to overcome the burden of showing how military records from when the family was stationed in Korea years earlier, or the boy’s academic records, or reports of possible behavioral issues by the teen prior to the alleged sexual abuse incidents would be admissible.

The judge also rejected Wrae’s request for a court order requiring the prosecutor and the Victims’ Services staff to record any future contact with the teen or his family members. Dickerson said from the bench he was not sure the Court has authority “to tell the County Attorney how to deal with victims and parents.”

However, the parties agreed with Dickerson that Andela is already required to record any future interviews he may have with the teen or his family.

An eight-person jury will be empaneled to hear Blampied’s case. Only a handful of witnesses are expected to be called to testify, the attorneys advised Dickerson.

Blampied faces less than five years in prison if convicted of both counts and is eligible for probation. If there is a conviction, Dickerson could order Blampied to register as a sex offender.