A former Davidson County teacher who also served as a basketball coach has been arrested and charged with sex crimes involving a 16-year-old female student.

Brandon James Mullis

Brandon James Mullis, age 36, is charged with one count of indecent liberties with a student and one count of 3rd-degree exploitation of a minor.

A reporter with WFMY obtained the court documents which said that Mullis had tried to obtain an image of the 16-year-old female student “engaged in sexual activity,” but the reporter said that the description of the image that Mullis wanted from the victim was too graphic to share.

The investigation into Mullis began after the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office received a tip that a former teacher had engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a female student at North Davidson High School.

The investigation led to search warrants for Mullis’ home, which were served with the help of the High Point Police Department and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Upon execution of the warrants, law enforcement recovered materials linking Mullis to the student and he was arrested at his home in High Point.

A $50,000 secured bond was issued to Mullis and he was taken to the Davidson County Detention Center. As of July 4, Mullis was not listed as an active inmate.  His next court appearance will be July 29.

Davidson County Schools said that Mullis resigned in May of this year from his position at North Davidson High School as a coach and Inclusion teacher in the Exceptional Children’s Department.

Mullis’ bio had been scrubbed from the website but a cached page remains to show that Mullis taught both an English class and a math class in addition to his coaching position.

Brandon Mullis Bio at North Davidson High

Davidson County Schools released the following statement:

“We only learned of this alleged incident and arrest in the last 24 hours, however, to our knowledge and based on what law enforcement has shared with us, this unfortunate alleged incident did not occur on Davidson County Schools property or while Mr. Mullis was employed with Davidson County Schools. We hold high expectations for professional, ethical, and legal conduct by all Davidson County Schools employees. Davidson County Schools will cooperate fully with the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office and any other law enforcement agency with the active and ongoing investigation. Our immediate concern is with the student and her family at this time, as maintaining safe school communities is always our top priority.”

Later during the same month in which he resigned from Davidson County Schools, Mullis was hired by Guilford County Schools as a coach and teacher. In April he was named new head coach at SW Guilford High School.

Southwest Guilford High School’s principal was quoted by the News and Record as saying it was “deeply disappointing” to learn that their new basketball coach had been charged with taking indecent liberties with an underage female student when he worked at North Davidson High School. This statement seems to imply that Davidson County School officials did not report Mullins to the State Board of Education nor did they inform Guilford County School Officials of his arrest – assuming that the Guilford School officials did ask.

Guilford County School officials have indicated Mullis’ contract ended in June and will not be renewed.

According to state records, Mullis holds a North Carolina Teachers license under the name James Brandon Mullis in the areas of Agriculture 6-9, Agricultural Education (6-12), Cross Categorical K-12, and Physical Education. The license was issued in 2018 and will expire in 2023 unless revoked.

The case is ongoing and additional charges may be added. Anyone with information regarding this case should call the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office at (336) 242-2105.