A teacher at ONE Academy, 40-year-old Christopher James Rex, was arrested today on child exploitation charges. State investigators took Rex into custody following a search of a Carrboro residence linked to the case, and he is being held in county detention.
State Bureau of Investigation agents arrested Rex and charged him with 10 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, according to WRAL. He was taken to the Orange County Detention Center and is being held without bond, with a court appearance set for Monday, the outlet reports. Investigators have not released information about any alleged victims or described the specific evidence involved.
ONE Academy and a Shaken School Community
ONE Academy, part of Chatham County Schools and based in Siler City, is listed at 501 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. The district describes the campus as a small, nontraditional program serving both middle and high school students, a setup that tends to create a close-knit environment. That intimacy helps explain how word of the arrest moved fast through the school community, according to Chatham County Schools.
CyberTip Triggers Investigation and Search
Officials say the investigation began after a CyberTip was submitted to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. From there, SBI agents obtained and executed a search warrant at a home on NC Highway 54 in Carrboro, with Carrboro police assisting in the arrest, according to WRAL. Authorities have not publicly detailed what was seized during the search or laid out a detailed timeline of the alleged conduct.
Charges, Felony Status and What the Law Says
Under North Carolina law, second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor covers recording, distributing or soliciting material that depicts a minor engaged in sexual activity and is classified as a Class E felony. The statute also specifies that a mistaken belief about a victim’s age does not count as a legal defense. The full statutory language is available on the North Carolina General Assembly website.
How to Report Concerns or Tips
The CyberTipline serves as the nation’s central clearinghouse for reports of suspected online child sexual exploitation, routing information to the appropriate law enforcement agencies. Anyone with information related to this case or similar concerns can contact local police or file a report through the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
