WENTWORTH. N.C. – A Rockingham County Schools teacher pleaded guilty to Sexual Activities with a Student and Indecent Liberties with a Child in court Tuesday. Rebekah Gammon Wright was sentenced to 26-50 months in prison. Wright was a 7th grade teacher at Rockingham Middle School.
Rockingham County Sheriff Deputies began investigating a claim of abuse in December 2014 and requested the assistance of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.
The victim in this case was a student at Rockingham Middle School and was 13 years old at the time of this incident, according to Special Agent William Marsh.
Karen Hyler, Rockingham County Schools spokesperson, told WFMY News 2's Morgan Hightower:
"In November, allegations of inappropriate student/teacher conduct were brought to the attention of administration regarding Rebekah Wright and a student. RCS immediately launched an investigation, interviewed the teacher, suspended her with pay pending the investigation and called law enforcement.On December 5, 2014 the teacher resigned all duties with our district.Our main focus is always student safety and we will continue our efforts to provide a safe learning environment throughout all Rockingham County Schools."
SBI Special Agent William Marsh was the lead investigator on this case. He said Wright had sex with the male student "several" times. The crime never happened on school campus.
"That's why those particular charges exist in North Carolina because the assumption is that children can't give consent for sexual activity especially to an adult much less someone who has authority over that child," said Special Agent Marsh.
The victim's family was in court Tuesday and the judge asked Wright if she had anything to say. "No sir," was her only response.
Wright is at least the twelfth Triad school employee to be charged in a crime like this since October 2014. Last year, North Carolina ranked 6th in the nation for most teachers charged in sex crimes.
June 17, 2015 – Lloyd "Derrele" Mitchell, teacher and coach at West Forsyth High School. Mitchell was charged with Sexual Offense with a Student and Indecent Liberties with a Student. Court records reveal Mitchell impregnated a student.
June 9, 2015 – Darren Nelson, assistant teacher at Parkland High School. Nelson was charged with Taking Indecent Liberties with a Student by a Teacher and Sexual Battery.
June 6, 2015 – Dustin Graham Branch, teacher at Eastern Guilford High School. Branch was accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old student and was charged with Sexual Offense with a Student and Criminal Use of Trademark.
May 21, 2015 – Michael Andrew Smith, computer systems specialist, Davidson County Schools. Davidson County Sheriff Deputies found more than 20 videos involving child pornography downloaded on Smith's laptop. He was charged with 10 Counts Second Degree Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.
April 29, 2015 – Patrick Nolan, assistant teacher at Lowerance Middle School. Nolan was charged with two counts of Indecent Liberties, two Counts Taking Indecent Liberties with a Student by a Teacher and two Counts of Simple Assault of a Handicapped Person.
April 17, 2015 – Thomas Tilman Cridlebaugh, former teacher for Davidson County Schools. SBI agents say as many as 20 victims have come forward saying they were sexually assaulted by Cridlebaugh. The crimes date back to the 1980s. So far, he's been charged with 10 counts of Sex Offenses.
April 16, 2015 – Austin Reade Ferguson, teacher, Ragsdale High School. Ferguson was charged with 8 Felony counts of Sex Offense by a School Official.
December 1, 2014 – Joseph Ray Cullen,head football coach and A/V teacher at South Davidson High School. He was charged with Indecent Liberties with a female Student.
November 26, 2014 – Matthew Belk, teacher, South Davidson High School. Belk faces 21 Felony charges of Sex Offense with a Student.
November 14, 2014 – Zachary Ross Chilton, substitute teacher and coach, Asheboro City Schools. Chilton was charged with one count of Sexual Activity with a Student.
October 31, 2014 – Elizabeth Lorraine Brown, teacher at Starmount High School. Brown was charged with 9 counts of Disseminating Obscene Material to a Minor under 16.
In most of the cases above, the teachers or school employees were suspended without pay or terminated when the school districts learned of the criminal investigation.
