High School Assistant Principal Faces Sex Charges

Dunn, N.C. — A former assistant principal at Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School is scheduled to appear in court Friday to face 24 counts of sex offense in a parental role, charges on which he was arrested at the school.

Larry Jewell, 57, was arrested at the school by Dunn police, assisted by the Raleigh Police Department, on Thursday, according to Maj. Gary McNeil of the Harnett County Sheriff's Office.

Before being arrested, Jewell resigned Thursday as one of the four assistant principals at Southeast Raleigh, schools spokesman Michael Evans said.

The section of North Carolina law under which sheriff's officials said Jewell was being held refers to a person who "has assumed the position of a parent in the home of a minor victim" or who has "custody of a victim" or is "an agent or employee" of an institution that has "custody of a victim of any age."

The same section of law also covers teachers, administrators and coaches, but , "As far as we know this does not involve any Wake County public school students," Evans said.

Jewell was held at the Harnett County Detention Center in lieu of $2.5 million bond.

The school system hired Jewell on Aug. 4, 1999, Evans said. He said a full background check had been done at the time and found no problems.

Several Southeast Raleigh High School parents reported receiving a recorded phone call saying Jewell was no longer with the school because of concerns about criminal matters involving minors.

Southeast Raleigh operates a magnet program called the Center for Leadership & Technology.

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Latest Comments

I am class of 04 alum but I never met this particular AP. You always hear rumors about one of the staff being particularly odd but never expect those rumors to be true. This is unnerving.

wisdomfromhindsight
February 16, 2007 4:04 p.m.

This is a grave injustice for the students and staff of SRHS. I am a class of 02 Alum and loved every second that I was there. However, now that these allegations have come up, the repuatation of the school has been tarnished indefinantly. No matter what, from now on, when my younger sister says that she goes there, the next question will always be "isn't that where the VP got arrested for sex offenses against minors?" that's not the kind of question i want her to have to answer, but she is there, and is actively involved. She's in the band, why don't we give them some good publicity for once and talk about how they're going to New Orleans in a few weeks to help with some of the disaster relief? Let's help build up the school and everyone there, instead of tearing them down and making people think that this is not a safe environment for their children to be in. I can say wholeheartedly that I support the school and students and staff. One person doesn't reflect on the whole community.

amandakholland07
February 16, 2007 3:45 p.m.

Rockinhorse, I agree for some reason the news media only report the negative things that happen. I don't know why. I have gotten to the point of almost not watching the news. It's as if they think the public wishes to only see the bad stuff. Twenty or thirty years ago Anne Murray wrote a song titled, "What we need is a little good news today". I feel that way everyday.

mikeNC
February 16, 2007 2:47 p.m.

MikeNC, I agree with you whole-heartedly. I refuse to live my life suspecting everyone. My philosophy is that I trust people until they give me a reason to not trust. That doesn't mean I sit idly waiting for things to happen. I am very involved in my kids' school. I meet with their teachers. I track their progress and notice things. I know several gentlemen who do not have kids, but volunteer in local sports leagues. I respect them and think they make a huge difference for the kids they coach, as I'm sure you do!

Just because the news is filled with trash, you cannot automatically suspect every person as being bad. The truth is that the number of bad people are very few, they just make the headlines. There are SO MANY wonderful people who teach, coach, volunteer ... who help kids. Unfortunately, you don't see them in the news, only the bad. But please don't lose sight of the fact that not everyone is bad. Be cautious, but not suspicious.