A 40-year-old ex-school resource officer was arrested on Monday and charged with sex crimes involving a 15-year-old student.
Christopher L. Kelly is facing six charges, including statutory sex offense with a child, first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, indecent liberties with a child, sex acts with a student, and second-degree kidnapping, reports WNCN.
Kelly began working for the Durham County Sheriff’s Office in August 2013.
He met the victim in 2014 while working off-duty for Durham Public Schools as a school safety officer at Carrington Middle School.
In 2016, he was transferred full-time to the School Resource Division and moved to Hillside High School where the victim was attending.
Court documents show that authorities discovered the relationship between the two when Kelly was pulled over for speeding on April 12. He reportedly tried to flee authorities but eventually pulled over. Deputies spotted the victim attempting to hide by the front of the vehicle. Kelly got out of his car in an attempt to create a ruse for the girl to get away.
Detectives subsequently discovered explicit photos on Kelly’s cell phone from video chats with the student. The arrest warrant stated that Kelly “induced and encouraged” the minor to perform sexual acts during the video chat sessions. He told the teen not to tell adults because “they wouldn’t understand.”
According to the Herald Sun, Kelly was fired on April 28 in a termination letter from Chief Deputy Donald Ladd Jr.
“To ensure the public’s confidence in the Sheriff’s Office, we must – without question – conduct ourselves with honor and dignity, perform our duties to the best of our abilities, and provide professional service to the community. When one of our own is accused of abusing the trust we work hard to earn, it is both disheartening and devastating to all involved,” Sheriff Michael Andrews said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with the family at the center of this ongoing investigation. The Sheriff’s Office will continue to work with the Durham County District Attorney’s Office, and we will respect the judicial system in the next phase of this process.”
Kelly is married and has three young children, according to a neighbor.
