Clayton man arrested for identity theft had jobs at two local charter schools

A Clayton man accused of identity theft was employed at two local charter schools. 

Gregory Pettiford is facing two felony charges for identity theft and two misdemeanors for having a fake driver’s license and social security card, according to arrest warrants. Court documents say Pettiford used someone else's driver's license number to apply for a position at Crosscreek Charter School. 

Louisburg Police Chief Travis Lincoln told WRAL his department started investigating last month after the school “noticed some inconsistencies in Mr. Pettiford’s paperwork.”

Lincoln said Pettiford did not have any interaction with children.

After his arrest, WRAL News got a tip that Pettiford had also worked at Wake Forest Charter Academy. When asked, Wake Forest Charter Academy spokesman Cory Olsen said, "These are unsettling allegations that shocked everyone in our school community." 

On Wednesday, Olsen told WRAL that Pettiford is "no longer employed by our school." 

"Our standard practice is to perform background checks on all staff members before they can be in our school, and the process was completed for this individual according to state guidelines," Olsen said. "Student safety remains one of our highest priorities, and we will fully support all police investigations into the matter."

It is unclear how long Pettiford was employed at each school and what his positions were. 

WRAL found a criminal history associated with Pettiford dating back to the 80s. Many of his charges include fraud, from writing bad checks to impersonation to stealing.

Raleigh Police also arrested Pettiford earlier this year.

In that instance, he is accused of writing a fraudulent check for vehicle repairs in Raleigh, according to court documents.

“That's definitely a huge concern to have somebody who's committing identity theft operating in your school system,” security expert Jason Russell told WRAL over the phone.

As president of Secure Environment Consultants, Russell formerly served as a secret service agent and now consults with schools to enhance their safety and security.

WRAL reached out to administrators at Crosscreek Charter School, asking about the school’s vetting process for prospective employees, when they noticed issues with Pettiford’s documentation, and how they're explaining the situation to families. No one from Crosscreek has been available to answer those questions.

“He's exploiting a gap in their process that could've been significant,” Russell said.

Crosscreek's verification process is not clear. Russell recommends that school systems evaluate their protocols and procedures at least every three to five years.

Pettiford's next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 25.