Christian school principal charged with sexual battery of teen student in Bonifay, Florida

A principal at a Christian school is accused of sexually battering a student and of telling the student that they could be together after he got divorced, according to Florida authorities.

Aaron Michael McFatter, 28, is charged with sexual battery of a 16- or 17-year-old. Officials said he is no longer the principal of Grace Fellowship Christian Academy in the Florida Panhandle. McFatter, who was also a worship pastor, has not been convicted, and his attorney information was not available in Washington County court records.

According to an arrest affidavit, the communication began in December 2023, when McFatter and a student at his school started messaging each other over Snapchat and WhatsApp. The teen told investigators that the two later began calling and sending photos, and deputies reported that the conversations “progressed into more flirting and inappropriate communication.” Investigators said the pastor complained about his marital problems and said he was going to get divorced, and that by the time the proceedings were over “they could be together.”

Records show that McFatter’s wife filed for divorce in May, about two weeks before deputies said they began investigating the criminal case. Investigators said McFatter is accused of having “unlawful physical and sexual contact” with the teen in April, when the two rode together in his truck on the way home from Panama City Beach. According to deputies, another driver in the group learned the two were alone, pulled over, and asked the teen to get out of the pastor’s vehicle.

Grace Fellowship Christian Academy said it was aware that its former principal had been arrested. In a statement posted on Facebook, school officials wrote, “We consider the safety of our staff and students of utmost importance.” The school said it conducts criminal background checks for its personnel, that all employees are mandated reporters, and that it reports allegations to the appropriate authorities whenever it becomes aware of them. Officials said the school’s commitment to guarding its students is reflected in that practice (Mark 9:42).

The hotline for the National Sexual Assault Hotline is 1-800-656-4673, and it offers an online chatroom for those who have experienced sexual assault and need support.

The private school is in Bonifay, about halfway between Pensacola and Tallahassee.

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