A high school teacher in North Carolina has been arrested and charged with 10 felony counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor following a search of his residence by law enforcement authorities.
Geoffrey Craig Hightower, 36, a teacher at Smithfield-Selma High School, was taken into custody on Thursday after police executed a search warrant at his apartment located in the 900 block of 7th Avenue in Garner, North Carolina. Following his arrest, Hightower was suspended from his teaching position pending further investigation.
During a court appearance on Friday, Wake County District Court Judge Rashad Hauter outlined the charges against Hightower, stating that he is accused of “unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously” duplicating material containing visual representations of minors between the ages of 6 and 9 engaged in sexual activity. Each of these Class E felony charges carries a maximum potential sentence of up to 136 months in prison.
Hightower is currently being held at the Wake County Detention Center on a $500,000 secured bond. The judge has also ordered that he have no contact with anyone under the age of 18. Authorities have indicated that additional charges may be filed as the investigation continues.
The arrest was the result of a collaborative effort between the Garner Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI). Details regarding how the investigation was initiated or what led authorities to suspect Hightower have not been disclosed.
During his court appearance, Hightower requested legal representation, and his next hearing is scheduled for September 12.
Smithfield-Selma High School and the local school district have not released a public statement regarding the arrest. It is unclear how long Hightower had been employed at the school or if any incidents involved students from the institution.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are encouraging anyone with relevant information to come forward.