Colorado Springs assistant principal found dead after arrest for sexual assault charges

STONE COUNTY, Ark. (KRDO) -- Randell Mealer, the former Assistant Principal at GOAL Academy at the Citadel Mall, was found dead over the weekend in Arkansas following his arrest for dozens of sexual assault charges.

According to jail records, Mealer was booked into the Boone County Jail on July 1, 2021, facing 50 counts of first-degree sexual assault. Mealer posted bond just three hours later, but the Stone County Sheriff's Office found him dead Saturday morning.

Court documents show that Mealer was a grade school teacher at an Arkansas public school when he allegedly engaged in sexual activity with a student from June of 2017 through May of 2018. The document said that Mealer "used his position of trust or authority over the victim to engage in sexual intercourse."

The prosecuting attorney confirmed to KRDO that all 50 charges involved only one victim, though the case will technically now be dismissed since Mealer died.

Mealer and his wife filed for divorce just four months after his sexual relationship with the student allegedly began in Arkansas.

A cause of Mealer's death was not immediately available Monday.

Mealer was listed as the Assistant Principal at GOAL High School's Citadel location as recently as May of 2021, although their current website shows that the name of the new Assistant Principal is "coming soon."

This is a developing story, check back with KRDO for updates on News Channel 13 at 4, 5, and 6 p.m.