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.