Sex offender pleads not guilty to bail jumping 
by Karyn Eckert
The Star News
November 19, 2009 —  A 21-year-old Medford man pleaded not guilty Tuesday and was bound over for trial on charges he didn’t report his move to Medford as well as bail jumping charges for allegedly having sex with a 16-year-old.
Micheal G. Yeager waived his right to a preliminary hearing for the registry violation, but opted for the hearing for the five felony bail jumping charges and a misdemeanor count of sex with a child 16 or older.
During the hearing, a 16-year-old girl testified she “went out” with Yeager for about a week, but decided it was best for them not to see each other because her mother didn’t approve. During that time she said they had sexual intercourse.
The girl also said she was at Yeager’s residence three times in October. She said Yeager also contacted her on her cell phone by text and voice conversations.
A 17-year-old girl, a friend of the alleged victim, also testified, stating the two girls met up with Yeager at the Taylor County Fair on July 30. She said she didn’t recall if Yeager said anything directly to her during the 15-20 minutes they spent together.
Next to testify was Deputy Michael Christensen of the Wood County Sheriff’s Department. Christensen said Yeager was brought into jail February 17, 2009, while he was on duty for two counts of second degree sexual assault of a child and three counts of sex with a child age 16 or older. Yeager was released from the Wood County Jail on a $3,000 cash bond with one of the conditions being he has no contact with females under 18.
Based on the testimony, Taylor County Judge Ann Knox-Bauer found probable cause for the charges and bound Yeager over for trial. He entered pleas of not guilty to all counts.
Yeager’s attorney, Ashley Webb, asked Knox-Bauer to reduce Yeager’s bail from the previously set $5,000 cash bond. Webb said Yeager was facing much more serious charges in Wood County but had no history of missing court appearances and no hope of posting the cash bond.
Kelz asked the judge to deny the defense’s motion. “He’s still an incredible flight risk,” he said.
Knox-Bauer denied the motion, stating the bind over for the Taylor County charges now increases the risk Yeager would flee.
Yeager is scheduled for a pre-trial conference January 12 with the district attorney for all the Taylor County charges. He is to be sentenced December 16 in the Wood County case.

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