A Carrboro resident faces child exploitation charges brought by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation following an online tip about his online activity.
The SBI shared an alert on Friday saying agents with its Computer Crimes Unit partnered with the Carrboro Police Department and the Siler City Police Department to executive search warrants in an investigation of 40-year-old Christopher James Rex.
Rex — who lives in Carrboro and works at Chatham County Schools’ ONE Academy in Siler City — faces ten counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, which is a Class E felony related to the sharing of materials that contain visuals of a minor engaged in sexual activity. Law enforcement’s investigation into Rex began after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a CyberTip.
Chatham County Schools shared an alert following the news of Rex’s arrest saying based on information provided to its leadership by the SBI, the charges do not involve any students from the school district.
“In accordance with Board policy, the employee has been placed on mandatory leave without pay, effective immediately, pending the outcome of this matter,” reads the statement. “We are deeply concerned by this development. The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority. We are fully cooperating with law enforcement in their investigation.
“Since this is an active investigation and personnel matter,” the message concluded, “we are limited in what information we can share at this time. We appreciate the community’s understanding as we allow the investigative process to move forward.”
According to his professional history shared on LinkedIn, Rex joined ONE Academy as an educator last August. The non-traditional school gives Chatham County students grades 6-12 an alternative learning environment with smaller instructional groups and a more flexible schedule to accommodate both learning preferences and priorities outside of classrooms. Rex also taught Jordan Matthews High School for the 2024-25 academic year, and previously, he worked in the Alamance-Burlington Schools system and as a tutor for the Huntington Learning Center.
The State Bureau of Investigation said following Rex’s arrest, law enforcement transported him to the Orange County Detention Center where he is being held without bond. His first court appearance on the charges is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 16. No further details are being shared by the SBI at this time.
Because the investigation is ongoing, the state bureau encouraged any community members with additional information in the case around Rex to contact the SBI Computer Crimes Unit at 919-662-4500 or emailing tips@sbi.nc.gov.
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