Johnston County substitute teacher caught peeping

Raleigh, N.C. — Raleigh police on Monday arrested a former substitute teacher who is accused of taking photos of a teenage boy in the bathroom of a local bookstore.

Michael Lynn Worley, 46, of 26 Ponderosa Park Drive in Wake Forest, was charged with secret peeping after, police said, he used a cellphone to snap photos of the 13-year-old while the boy was inside a restroom stall at Barnes & Noble at Triangle Town Center mall on May 5.

According to a search warrant for Worley's computer and phone, the boy noticed the cellphone and told his father, who reported Worley to police.

When police looked at Worley's phone, the warrant says, they found multiple videos of the boy in the bathroom.

They also found a photo, dated Jan. 16, of another boy in a bathroom stall, but it did not appear that the boy knew the photo was being taken.

Johnston County schools spokeswoman Terri Sessoms said Worley had been a substitute teacher in the district since January 2011. He was removed from the substitute list Tuesday.

Worley was in jail Tuesday under a $25,000 bond in Wake County.

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How many people reading and posting about this man have made a mistake or done something you regret? An honest show of hands would reveal most of us have at some point.

Rather than break this person down and destroy his life why not view this as someone who needs help? Is it asking too much to not pass judgement before knowing the facts and did it ever cross your mind that this person could have a developing disorder that caused him to act outside of his known character?

I am a parent of a student who has had the privilege of having Mr. Worley as the instructor. I have known this man for the past 3 years and will stand by his side as witness to his true character. I will not pass judgement so quickly, he and his family are in our prayers.

Mr. Worley - "The C Angels" wish you the best!

momtek
May 15, 2012 3:54 p.m.

All you JoCo parents can relax too because he only subsituted for High school students in band. The people this affected already know whats up. Also take note that noone that knew him is posting ugly things about him. Thoes of you worried about why he didnt work in WaCo its bc he had a close connection in JoCo schools. He taught extracurricular activites at several JoCo high schools.. again the people this affected already know. So if your left wondering if your kid was affected then no they were affected. you would know.

ECUGrl2015
May 10, 2012 1:59 p.m.

I was one of Mike's students for 4 years and if you knew the man you would have a hard time believing these allogations. How can you call someone a monster when you dont even know the person. How dare you. Now his little girls have to grow up knowing the names people called their father. If there are any Christians out there how dare you judge. This man changed so many young people's lives for the good. Mike taught me so much about life. He taught so many of us kids life lessons that our parents cannot teach us. He is NOT a monster. He is a funny, passionate, hardworking, and talented man. There are a lot of kids that are hurting because of these allogations. Mike, I stand behind you and support you and pray this all ends well. As far as all of you bashing JoCo schools screening cannot catch sex offenders unless they have also offended. As far as people who are asking why he teaches in JoCo but lives in WaCo. It's the same you living in JoCo and working in WaCo. Ignorance.

ECUGrl2015
May 10, 2012 1:54 p.m.

Background checks do not predict what someone might do in the future.

Uh, actually, they do. Otherwise, why do them? Why look at the past unless you're worried about its influence on the future? Whenever there's a crime, the first suspects on the police's list are past offenders. There are no guarantees but there are certainly statistics.

iknowjack
May 10, 2012 1:45 p.m.

****URGENT**** HIS ADDRESS PREVIOUS LISTED AS 25 PONDEROSA PARK DRIVE IS INCORRECT. THAT IS MY RENTAL PROPERTY! PLEASE REREAD THE STORY AND YOU WILL SEE THEY REMOVED THE HOUSE NUMBER. PLEASE DO NOT RETALIATE AT MY RENTAL PROPERTY!!!!

Aw, man, too late! You may have to rent a backhoe, but the smell should go away in a few years.

iknowjack
May 10, 2012 1:41 p.m.