Police say the owner of a dance studio in Fort Mill, S.C. faces charges for many years of sexual assault of a dance student, beginning when the student was 14 years old.
51-year-old Steven Edgar “Eddie” Mabry, of Huntersville, was arrested and charged Thursday for contribution to the delinquency of a minor and statutory sexual offense against a person of 13, 14, or 15 years of age by a defendant at least six years older.
Mabry owns and is the choreographer and director at Eddie Mabry Talent.
According to Huntersville police in a news release, the assaults occurred in Mabry’s home and the first incident happened when Mabry was 44 years old.
The male victim, now an adult age, reported abuse on March 19. Police said the victim began taking dance lessons from Mabry when the victim was 7 years old and then began to work for Mabry later.
Mabry has worked at UNC Charlotte and Winthrop University as an adjunct member of faculty and has been a guest artist at the Northwest School of the Arts for 13 years, according to his biography on Eddie Mabry Talent’s website.
The website also says Mabry has acted as choreographer for Carowinds, Central Piedmont Community College’s Summer Theatre, Davidson College, Fort Mill’s Nation Ford High School, Winthrop University, Theatre Charlotte, and Queens University, plus others.
Mabry strongly denies the charges from the former student and the arrest shocked him, according to his lawyer, George Laughrun.
Mabry is free on bail of $15,000.
Huntersville police ask anyone with information regarding the case to call 704-464-5400 for Police Lt. Andrew Dempski.
