NC Teacher and Male Student, 15

(Clinton, North Carolina) A 39-year-old language arts teacher formerly at Hobbton Middle School, Jeannie Michelle Hodges, has been arrested and charged for allegedly engaging in sex with a 15-year-old male student.

Hodges faces charges of statutory rape, sex offense with a student and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

According to a release from the Sampson County Sheriff's Office, the relationship transpired during the 2007-08 school year.

Investigators, tipped off by a concerned resident in June, learned that the 15-year-old had stayed overnight with Hodges on several occasions, the release said.

“Ms. Hodges was very open about her relationship with the 15-year-old, which led to the concerned citizen notifying the Sheriff’s Office of the activity,” the release said.

Hodges was booked into custody at the Sampson County Detention Center with bond set at $50,000.


[Update 9/04/08]

Hodges was arrested again last weekend, midnight Friday, at a drivers license checkpoint when a 15-year-old Hispanic male was found driving her car -- the same boy she is accused of molesting.

Following the stop, Hodges, 40, was charged with allowing an unlicensed minor to drive and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile, the same charge she received along with two other felony offenses in connection with a separate investigation earlier this summer involving the same teenager.

Hodges, a former teacher with Hobbton Middle School, was arrested in July on charges of statutory rape, sexual offense with a student and contributing to the delinquency of a minor following a weeks-long investigation by the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office.

She later posted $50,000 bond and was awaiting trial on the sex charges at the time of Saturday morning’s traffic stop.

When the Ford Explorer approached the checkpoint, police officers stopped it and asked the teenage driver for his driver’s license. He replied that he did not have one. Officers then asked the boy’s age, to which he answered 15, before asking if passenger Hodges had her license. Hodges told officers that she had a license, but not with her, reports state.

Both were asked to exit the Explorer and officers received consent to search it. A search was conducted of both the vehicle and Hodges’ purse. Inside the purse, officers found Hodges’ driver’s license as well as a business card for a local bail bonding service, according to reports.

When officers questioned Hodges about the card, she stated that she recently bonded out of jail on charges of statutory rape. Officers asked if it was the 15-year-old driver, to which she replied yes, authorities said.

The 15-year-old was placed in the custody of his sister. Hodges was booked with bond set at $2,000.