ELWOOD — A 26-year-old Elwood man was arrested Thursday for allegedly transmitting oral herpes to a 5-year-old boy by forcing him to perform a sex act.

Prosecutors charged Nathan Kelich on Wednesday with child molestation, a Class A felony punishable by 20 to 50 years in prison. He is also charged with another sex-related count as a Class B felony, which carries a term of six to 20 years.

Kelich turned himself in at the Madison County Jail shortly after 3 p.m. Thursday, and was released about two hours later after posting 10 percent of his $35,000 bond. He has not yet been scheduled to make an initial appearance in Madison Superior Court 1.

According to a probable cause affidavit:

Kelich molested the boy between Aug. 20, 2006, and Feb. 24, 2008, forcing the child to perform sex acts on him, as well as fondling the child.

The allegations surfaced after one of the boy’s relatives took him to a hospital after he came down with a high fever and developed sores on the inside and outside of his mouth.

The boy told hospital staff Kelich forced him to perform sex acts. Tests determined the boy has herpes simplex 1 virus. Other tests showed Kelich has same herpes virus.

The day after the incident, officials with Madison County Department of Child Services contacted Elwood police. Kelich wouldn’t speak to investigators. He does not have a published telephone listing. Kelich couldn’t be reached for comment Friday.