CALHOUN COUNTY, W.Va. (WCHS) — A former elementary school teacher and Calhoun County commissioner pleaded not guilty to hundreds of child sexual abuse charges Tuesday.
Jacob McCumbers, of Arnoldsburg, W.Va., appeared in Calhoun County court Tuesday where he pleaded not guilty to 172 counts of first-degree sexual abuse and 86 counts of sexual abuse by a parent or guardian. He was indicted by a grand jury on the charges last week.
McCumbers’ bond was also raised to $400,000 and he was taken into custody following the hearing. If he is able to make bond at any point, he will be ordered to home confinement.
Jacob McCumbers, of Arnoldsburg, W.Va., appeared in Calhoun County court Tuesday where he pleaded not guilty to 172 counts of first-degree sexual abuse and 86 counts of sexual abuse by a parent or guardian. (WCHS)
The charges stem from an initial 2025 investigation after West Virginia State Police attended a child forensic interview where an alleged victim disclosed that McCumbers had sexually assaulted him for about eight to nine years, according to a criminal complaint.
The alleged victim told investigators he was under the age of 10 when the sexual abuse began and accused McCumbers of threatening to hurt him if he told anyone. McCumbers was initially arrested in September 2025 on 50 counts of sexual abuse as a result of that investigation.
The school district said McCumbers – who was previously listed as a first grade teacher at Arnoldsburg Elementary – was immediately removed from his teaching position following his initial arrest in 2025. He resigned from his commissioner positionin October 2025.
The judge on Tuesday also granted a change of venue request, moving the case to Roane County. A trial date was set for Oct. 27 in Roane County with a pretrial hearing Sept. 17 in Calhoun County.
A small group of protestors were outside the Calhoun County Courthouse on Tuesday during the a hearing for Jacob McCumbers, who pleaded not guilty to hundreds of child sexual abuse charges. (WCHS)
