Cape Fear Christian Academy staffer charged with performing sex acts with student

A staff member at Cape Fear Christian Academy was arrested Friday on charges that she performed sex acts with a student-athlete at the private school in Erwin.

Tammy Moran, 45, was charged with three counts of sexual acts by a substitute parent. She was being held in the Harnett County jail under $150,000 bond.

In addition to serving as chief financial officer at the school, authorities said Moran also allowed student-athletes from outside the area to stay at her home, near Coats.

Harnett County deputies were called to the school Wednesday night to question her and students after the sex acts allegations arose. They said Friday that "digital evidence" substantiated allegations of a relationship between Moran and a student-athlete.

"Cape Fear Christian Academy is aware of an allegation against a staff member. We take this very seriously," school officials said in a statement Thursday night. "We are cooperating with local law enforcement to investigate an off-campus matter. The staff member is currently suspended pending the investigation."

A woman told WRAL News that the similar conduct has occurred with other student-athletes, including her son a year ago.

"My son had called me that night, and he said that he had to leave because [she] was trying to have sex with him," the woman said Friday. "I went and picked him up from where she was at. She was trying to talk to me, and the husband, he was trying to take the phone, so we just grabbed the phone. They wouldn't let us take nothing out the house, and we just left."

The woman, who lives in another county, said she agreed to let her son live with Moran after it became a burden for his coach to pick him up every day.

"He had been complaining the whole time," she said. "But see, she plays it off like she's trying to get him a good education, trying to get him in for a good school, when she's just so manipulative."

The woman said she complained to Cape Fear Christian leaders last year, but no one would believe her allegations.

"She needs to be stopped because that's what I was trying to do," the woman said. "I prayed about it because I did not want it to happen to somebody else."

Moran asked for a lower bond at a brief court hearing on Monday, but her request was denied.

Authorities said more charges are possible in the case.