UNION COUNTY - Bond for the former Anna-Jonesboro teacher and coach accused of sexual misconduct with a female student was sliced by $100,000 Thursday at the Union County Courthouse.

Eric Willis, 30, has to come up with $15,000 cash - 10 percent of his $150,000 bond, plus surrender his passport and sign an extradition waiver to be released from Union County custody.

Judge Rodney Clutts lowered Willis' bond on the Union County part of the sexual misconduct case, saying the bond was not meant to be punitive.

"I set the bond at $250,000 (initially) because I understood there was a passport out there," he said.

Bond for Willis was reduced in Williamson County on Tuesday from $500,000 to $250,000.

Charges against Willis were filed in both counties on Feb. 2. He resigned from his teaching position around Christmas after allegations were made against him of improper behavior with a 16-year-old student. He is facing two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and criminal sexual assault in Williamson County, and two counts of criminal sexual assault and one count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse in Union County.

Willis testified in his own behalf in Union County at the hearing to reduce bond. He told the court neither he nor his family had access to the amount of money required by the bond set in the two counties. He said he would "absolutely" abide by all terms of release on bond.

Therese Thien, his attorney, noted that Willis had opportunity to flee when he first learned he would be charged with the crimes. Instead, she said, he turned himself in to authorities on Feb. 2.

Union County State's Attorney Allen James argued Willis remains a flight risk. He referred to an e-mail from Willis to his alleged victim in which Willis referred to "running away and going to South America."

"You are something of a world traveler, are you not?" James asked Willis during the hearing.

"One summer I took a trip to Europe," Willis answered, and confirmed that he had also been to Mexico.

"We have a serious crime here," James argued in his final statement to the court during the hearing. "We do have a concern that now that he understands how serious the charges are, now that he's been to jail and knows what that is like, (he remains a flight risk)."

A preliminary hearing is set for Willis Feb. 28 in Union County. His preliminary hearing for Williamson County is set for Feb. 23.

andrea.hahn@thesouthern.com

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