Posted on 04/18/2014 12:24:10 PM PDT by Army Air Corps
CLEVELAND COUNTY, NC (WBTV) - A Cleveland County middle school teacher's attorney appeared in court on Wednesday morning after she was arrested for allegedly sending videos of a sexual nature to a student.
Caron Blanton, 34, turned herself in to the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office Tuesday around 3 p.m. and was charged with three counts of indecent liberties with a child and six counts of disseminating obscene material to a minor under 16.
She posted a $150,000 bond and was released around 6 p.m.
Blanton did not appear in court on Wednesday morning, but her attorney was there.
He told WBTV crews at the courthouse that he had no comment on the case. Blanton is schedule to have another court date on May 14.
Deputies say the investigation began when officials from Burns Middle School reported that a male student had "an inappropriate video" that had been sent to him by a female teacher.
School administrators confiscated the student's cell phone and called the sheriff's office.
Through the course of the investigation, deputies identified two students they say had received inappropriate videos as well as obscene pictures of Blanton.
The sheriff's department launched the criminal investigation into her actions in early April. School officials say she was suspended from her job before she resigned on April 10.
In a letter to parents sent home on Tuesday, interim principal Gary Blake briefly touched on the incident.
"Burns Middle School is committed to ensuring students the best possible opportunity to succeed in a positive learning environment," Blake said in the letter. "Due to the recent resignation of your student's science teacher, a highly qualified teacher has been hired to fill the position for the remainder of the school year."
WBTV spoke to the father of one of Blanton's students on Wednesday morning at the courthouse. He said he was stunned by the accusations because he's known Blanton for years.
He says this type of incident is "out of character" for her.
Cleveland County Sheriff Alan Norman said, "The Cleveland County Sheriff's Office takes all matters of this nature extremely serious. Through a complete and thorough investigation a second victim was identified that was not previously known to law enforcement."
He added that the investigation is ongoing and that there could be additional charges coming.
Norman also offered advice to parents, "I hope all parents will take time to find out who their children are communicating with and what those communications involve. Technology is so sophisticated today that anything can occur or be transmitted via a cell phone."
Well, one of the parents stated that his son “Learned a lot in her class.”
Dito. I’m with Laz on this one.
Really, we would need to see the actual videos
to make a judgment, but for now provisionally
not guilty.
Are you claiming that she was engaged in youth outreach?
She must have been making horror flicks.
Exploring the posibilities for cyber outreach...
ping
She’s all yours.
Yeah, that’s about the size of it, give or take a few inches.
Pre-approved for a BJ Clinton post-POTUS pardon!
GUILTY!
She lives in the crazy house....and sleeps in the really crazy basement...
Hasn't aged a day.
I wonder if she's one of those, whadda ya call em's, you know, suckers, blood suckers . . . VAMPIRES, that's the word I was looking for, a Vampire !
Crikey! “Hi, neighbor! Oh, don’t worry about the blood on my shirt. It isn’t mine, so it’s OK.”
5.56mm
Looks like a mug shot. There are much better pics of her out there and she’s HOT! I vote NOT guilty!
Guilty. Plus freaky eyes. Possibly stoned and/or possessed.
whoa - not at all guilty
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