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."
I think there might be more than one entity in there
Obviously a science experiment gone wrong!
Yikes that’s a face only a Halloween mask-maker would love.
Oh please, it was just a government schools style "teachable moment" /sarc
The other pic at the link is .
arrest photos are always horrible
and what was she thinking?
Pish tosh. All she has to do is claim that exposing herself to minors is her “gender preference”.
Sorry, but I know a diamond in the rough when I see it. Fix her hair, give her a bath and put a smile on that face and she is DEFINITELY not guilty.
guilty on the eyes.
Or with what part of her brain was she thinking?
Could be.
We await word from you, Sir.
Yeah but she has no interest in adults. Only children.
In that photo, she does appear a bit stuned.
Tasty at 0.08 BAC - not before.
She just needs to wear oversized dark glasses as a condition of parole. That or an exorcism.
I'm betting Laz has found his second fiance this week.
She blinded me with science.
I am sure than many will take your exculpatory evidence into consideration.
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