A grand jury indictment has significantly expanded the criminal case against a former Excelsior Springs church youth volunteer, adding multiple felony charges tied to a child sex abuse investigation.

Excelsior Springs resident Donald Aaron Axtell, 37, was originally arrested and charged with two felonies of second-degree statutory rape and possession of child pornography and one misdemeanor of furnishing or attempting to furnish pornographic material to a minor.

However, on Dec. 16, the grand jury returned an indictment on 11 felonies, including second-degree statutory rape, 10 counts of first-degree possession of child pornography and one misdemeanor of furnishing or attempting to furnish pornographic material to a minor. Axtell recently entered a plea of not guilty to the charges before Seventh Judicial Circuit Court Judge Shane T. Alexander.

Because of the indictment, a new warrant was issued with a $250,000 bond rather than the previous bond of $100,000.

He will appear for a bond heari…