photo by: Kim Callahan/Journal-World

Mark Gridley appears Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Douglas County District Court.

A speech pathologist accused of molesting multiple students at a Lawrence elementary school last winter has been ordered to stand trial on 14 felony counts.

Douglas County Judge Amy Hanley, following a two-day preliminary hearing in October, ruled Thursday that probable cause existed for the state’s case against Mark Gridley to proceed.

Hanley also found that the seven kidnapping charges did not “merge” with the seven aggravated indecent liberties charges and would remain live. Defense counsel Vanessa Riebli had asked that the kidnapping charges be dismissed because of overlap with the aggravated indecent liberties charges — a motion that the state had opposed and that Hanley ultimately denied after explaining her reasoning.

Hanley said that in this case there were different and distinguishable acts alleged for each crime, preventing merger when it came to charges.

For the distinct crime of kidnapping, she cited the children being taken to Gridley’s office when none of them were scheduled for services; the paper covering his office windows; an office door that locked from the outside; and the fact that no other adult or child was in the room at the time.

These alleged acts of isolating the students were not minor, incidental or inherent to the alleged sex crimes but were distinct actions meant to facilitate what took place later.

For the distinct crime of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, Hanley cited the allegations that the children’s eyes were covered, their hands were bound and an object was inserted into their mouths.

Gridley had worked at Prairie Park Elementary as a speech and language pathologist since August of 2021 until his arrest in February. He is alleged to have bound and blindfolded more than half a dozen young girls under the guise of giving them a speech therapy “test,” which the state has characterized as a series of oral sex crimes.

During October’s preliminary hearing Hanley viewed video interviews of the girls describing their experiences in Gridley’s office and also heard testimony from school district professionals denouncing Gridley’s practices.

photo by: Kim Callahan/Journal-World

Douglas County District Attorney Dakota Loomis appears Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Douglas County District Court.

Gridley’s attorney had asked that probable cause not be found for 12 of the 14 counts, while Douglas County District Attorney Dakota Loomis asked Hanley to order Gridley to trial on all 14.

In November, the state amended its complaint against Gridley so that it now lists an alternative battery charge alongside each aggravated indecent liberties charge.

Gridley, who was arrested on Feb. 8, is out of jail custody on a $750,000 bond with strict monitoring conditions.

As the Journal-World reported, the school district is facing two civil lawsuits accusing it of negligently hiring and retaining Gridley, negligently supervising him, and being vicariously liable for his alleged sexual battery against a child — all claims that the district has denied. Gridley is not a party to those suits.

His next court appearance in the criminal case is scheduled for Feb. 27.

photo by: Kim Callahan/Journal-World

Mark Gridley appears with attorney Vanessa Riebli Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Douglas County District Court.