A teacher at Lee County High School has been charged with multiple counts related to an alleged inappropriate sexual relationship with a student.
Frank Mauricio De Leon, 56, of Hickory Avenue in Sanford is charged with indecent liberties with a minor, second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, and three counts of felony secret peeping.
Lee County Sheriff Brian Estes said his office received a report of the alleged relationship in April and began an investigation. According to Estes, investigators executed a search warrant at De Leon’s home in conjunction with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Authorities also uncovered “evidence of numerous unrelated criminal offenses,” Estes said.
A social media profile shows De Leon taught ESL, and worked in Harnett County prior to his position in Lee County.
De Leon was placed in the Lee County Jail under $250,000 secured bond.
