photo by: Kim Callahan/Journal-World

Mark Gridley, left, and defense attorney Vanessa Riebli are pictured Monday, April 13, 2026, in Douglas County District Court.

A speech pathologist accused of molesting multiple children at a Lawrence elementary school pleaded not guilty Monday afternoon at his formal arraignment in Douglas County District Court.

Mark Gridley on Monday waived a formal reading of his charges and pleaded not guilty to all of the felony counts against him. As the Journal-World reported, Judge Amy Hanley, following a two-day preliminary hearing last October, ordered Gridley to stand trial on 14 felony counts: seven counts of kidnapping and seven counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child. The state’s complaint against Gridley also lists an alternative battery charge alongside each aggravated indecent liberties charge.

photo by: Kim Callahan/Journal-World

Mark Gridley, left, appears Monday, April 13, 2026, with his attorney Vanessa Riebli in Douglas County District Court. Douglas County DA Dakota Loomis is at right.

Gridley was originally scheduled to be arraigned in February, but he received a continuance to Monday due to the “magnitude” of the case.

Gridley had worked at Prairie Park Elementary, 2711 Kensington Road, as a speech and language pathologist since August of 2021 until his arrest on Feb. 8, 2025. 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.

Gridley, who was fired from the Lawrence school district shortly after his arrest, is being represented by defense attorney Vanessa Riebli, and the prosecutors are District Attorney Dakota Loomis and Todd Hiatt.

Gridley is currently out of jail custody on a $750,000 bond with strict monitoring conditions. On Monday, he also waived his speedy trial rights. His trial is scheduled to begin Jan. 4, 2027, and the parties believe it will take three weeks.

photo by: Kim Callahan/Journal-World

Mark Gridley appears Monday, April 13, 2026, with his attorney Vanessa Riebli in Douglas County District Court.