Orange County teacher resigns after arrest on decades-old sex charges

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William Thomas Pendergrass, 60, of 10627 Pendragon Place in Raleigh, was arrested Friday on three counts each of indecent liberties with a child and statutory rape. He was being held in the Orange County jail under $1.6 million bond.

According to arrest warrants, he engaged in sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl between July 1986 and July 1987.

"The charges do not involve the Orange County Schools or our students, but are based on alleged conduct from years ago outside of the Orange County Schools," Teresa Cunningham-Brown, the district's chief human resources officer, said in a statement announcing Pendergrass' suspension.

Pendergrass started work in August as the band teacher at Gravelly Hill Middle School in Efland, officials said. He previously was the band instructor at the private Ravenscroft School in Raleigh, according to various online listings. He also once taught at West Cary Middle School.

Ravenscroft officials received a complaint about Pendergrass in April and immediately put him on leave before firing him the following month, school spokeswoman Jennifer Davis said in a statement Friday.

"We worked cooperatively with law enforcement, and at the same time, took steps to ensure the safety of our current students by removing this individual’s access to our campus and our students," Davis said. "We have notified our community about his arrest and are encouraging anyone with relevant information to immediately contact local law enforcement authorities."

Ravenscroft officials haven't received any reports of sexual misconduct that occurred while Pendergrass worked at the school, she added.