In December, a man who teaches at a charter school in Columbus County was arrested for sex crimes involving a student.

IRVIN JAMES BRADDY

Arrested on Dec. 12, 28-year-old Irvin James Braddy was charged with three counts of felony sexual activity with a student.

The victim was a 17-year-old female student of Thomas Academy, the charter school where Braddy was employed. He has since been fired by the school.

Thomas Academy serves middle and high school-aged students and is operated by the Boys and Girls Homes of North Carolina (BGHNC) and is located on the company’s Lake Waccamaw campus in Columbus County.

Braddy was given a $75,000 secured bond and was being held at the Columbus County Detention Center. It appears he has been released, according to jail roster information. His next court appearance was listed as Jan. 4.

This arrest was the result of a joint investigation by the Lake Waccamaw Police Department and the Whiteville Police Department after receiving information from BGHNC staffers about “inappropriate activity between a member of the teaching staff and a student at Thomas Academy.”

A statement issued to outlet WECT by the school said they were aware of the allegations and working with law enforcement.

“We were made aware of the situation and immediately reported it to the appropriate agencies,” Lindsey Quick, chief branding officer with Boys & Girls Homes of North Carolina told WECT. “The individual involved is no longer employed at Thomas Academy or Boys & Girls Homes of North Carolina. We have worked closely with authorities, and they will continue to have our full cooperation. The safety and well-being of the children in our care is most important and we decline to provide any further comments as to not hinder the legal process.”

Records show there is no NC teaching license on file for Braddy.