Two Duplin County Public School teachers have been charged with sex crimes involving former students.

UPDATE: Jessica Daughtry was convicted on June 1, 2022, of two counts of crimes against nature. She was given 24 months in jail to be followed by probation and community service.

Angelica Castro Favela was convicted on Aug. 22, 2022, of one count of attempted crimes against nature. She was given a sentence of 18 months in jail to be followed by probation and community service.

Jessica Daughtry and Angelica Castro Favela were arrested by special agents with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation’s (SBI) Coastal District Office on Wednesday, June 10, 2020.

Both women worked at James Kenan High School located in Warsaw in Duplin County. Daughtry is a former teacher and Favela a former volleyball coach.

According to the SBI press release, Jessica Daughtry turned herself in at the Duplin County Detention Center just before 10 a.m. on June 10. She has been charged with two counts of felony sexual activity with a student. She was issued a $20,000 unsecured bond which she posted and was released.

Angelica Castro Favela also turned herself in at the Duplin County Detention Center around 11 a.m. June 10. She has been charged with one count of felony sexual activity with a student. Favela was issued a $15,000 unsecured bond which she posted and was released.

The SBI has indicated that the investigation began last October after they received a tip about sexual incidents involving two teachers and former students. The alleged encounters occurred off school grounds between 2017 and 2018.

Anyone with additional information about this ongoing investigation may contact Special Agent in Charge Kevin Tabron at 910-346-2121.

Favela does not have a North Carolina teaching license on file with the state. Daughtry has an active license on file in the area of Science 9-12. Unless revoked in advance, Daughtry’s license will not expire until June 2023.

An inquiry is pending to the district regarding background checks and to determine how and when they left Duplin County Schools employment.

Daughtry and Favela are the 16th and 17th teacher arrests tracked by this website in 2020.

Duplin County Schools released this statement:

At Duplin County Schools, the safety of our students and staff is top priority. Allegations of employee misconduct are taken very seriously. When the district was contacted by law enforcement regarding such allegations involving Jessica Smith-Daughtry, per board policy, she was immediately suspended pending the results of a thorough investigation by law enforcement. Jessica Smith-Daughtry resigned from Duplin County Schools on January 11, 2020.

Angelica Castro Favela periodically served as a non-faculty coach for Duplin County Schools. Her last coaching assignment was in 2017.

Due to laws and regulations regarding confidentiality, the District is not at liberty to disclose additional information.