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Violin teacher indicted in child molestation case; 3 victims named
Leon-Messerlian
Leon Messerlian

A Clermont violin teacher was indicted this week and charged with molesting three different children.

Leon Messerlian, 85, faces seven counts of child molestation and one count of computer pornography involving children after a grand jury indictment Monday.

Messerlian was a teacher with the Oxford Academy of Classical Studies. The investigation began after a student came forward with allegations.

Defense attorney Clinton Teston declined to comment to The Times.

“The child has been attending sessions with Messerlian since (the child) was 7 years old,” Hall County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Deputy Nicole Bailes wrote in an email at the onset of the investigation.

The Sheriff’s Office obtained warrants last July 29, which listed the time span of the alleged molestation between Feb. 1, 2010 and July 17.

In the indictment, Messerlian is accused of molesting two other children between Jan. 1, 2001 and March 31, 2002.

In August, he was charged with 50 counts of possession of child pornography after a search of his computer hard drives, Bailes said. Only one count is present in Monday’s indictment.

Messerlian has been released from the Hall County Jail.