Wake County teacher faces child sex charges

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Tags:

sex offense, wake county, wake county schools, local/state

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Wake County teacher has been arrested on sex abuse charges with a minor that date back to over a decade ago.

Samuel Napol Byers was arrested Wednesday at Creech Elementary School in Garner, where he is currently a kindergarten teacher. He is charged with five counts of felony indecent liberties with a minor and five counts of felony statutory sex offense with a minor.

Authorities said the charges stem from incidents that occurred from December 1999 to June 2000 while Byers was employed with the Camden County School System. The allegations occurred at Camden Middle School and the victim was 14 and 15 years old at the time, according to the Camden County Sheriff's Office.

Officials said Byers was a teacher's assistant for at-risk students and the victim was an at-risk student.

Byers allegedly told a friend about the incidents and the friend alerted police. The victim was able to point out Byers in a yearbook in order for detectives to identify him. The victim told authorities that Byers gave him money to stay quiet.

Camden County Schools superintendent Melvin Hawkins said he is furious that this allegedly happened. He said the schools are working with detectives and that this is another reason why parents need to stay involved in their children's lives.

Wake County Public Schools said Byers has been suspended with pay.

Byers' first court appearance is set for Friday at the Camden County Courthouse. He is being held on a $1 million bond.

The case is still under investigation and more charges are expected, officials said.