The criminal case against Mercer County High School teacher Mark Artcher has been pushed to this fall. At a short pre-trial conference today in Mercer County Circuit Court, the matter was continued to October 15th. The 60 year old Artcher was arrested in late April and faces a Class X felony of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and two Class 2 felonies of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. The charges allege three different victims under the age of 13. Artcher remains free on $100,000 bond and was placed on leave by the school district last April. Class X felonies are punishable by a term of 6-to-30 years in prison while Class 2 felonies carry a prison term of 3-to-7 years upon conviction.
