A now ex-Gaston County Public Schools teacher has been charged in connection with a child porn investigation. On Dec. 3, he pleaded guilty to some of the charges.

KRISTOPHER MICHAEL KIRTLEY

Name: Kristopher Michael Kirtley
Age: 50
Charge(s): One count indecent liberties with a child (Class G felony) and one count 3rd-degree sexual exploitation of a minor (Class H felony).
On Nov. 22, 2024, 4 counts of secret peeping were added to the original charges.
Charge Type(s): (View Sentencing Chart)
Arrest Date: 7-29-24
Bond Details: $500,000 secured, unposted. Kirtley remains in the Lincoln County Detention Center.

Victim /Case Details: 

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) announced the arrest following a multi-agency investigation into child pornography and online solicitation of minors.

According to LCSO Kirtley explicit photos and videos of “prepubescent females engaged in sexual activity” were both received and sent by Kirtley.

Warrant information suggests Kirtley allegedly both took, and attempted to take, pictures and videos of a minor for sexual arousal and gratification purposes during an incident that occurred on or around June 16-19.

LCSO and other agencies had Kirtley on their radar after his former students reported Kirtley had sent them inappropriate messages, some of which asked for sex.

Additional charges added
Warrant documents dated Nov. 22 show Kirtley being charged with four counts of secret peeping. Kirtley used his cell phone to take pictures of female students “for the purpose of arousing his sexual desire.” The warrants say the pictures were taken on or around April 1, 2024, while students were in his classroom at South Point High School. Kirtley used Facebook Messenger to send the photos to another person, according to police.

District: Gaston County Public Schools
Current Role: South Pointe High School business teacher and wrestling coach (2022-2024)
History: Mount Holly Middle School (2014-2022); taught business and was also a wrestling coach
Employment status: Resigned on June 24 (without required 30 days notice).
Statement from District: No official statement released.

NC Teacher License Information: 

License Number: 986176
Name: KIRTLEY, KRISTOPHER MICHAEL
License Type: Educator
License Status: Current
Expiration Date: 06/30/2027
Effective Date: 07/01/2022
License Area(s): Business Information Technology Education

Updates:
Kirtley’s license has been suspended for one year as of Aug. 22, 2024. As of Sept. 23, 2024, the license went from suspension to revoked.

Court records show past disposed cases involving possession of up to half an ounce of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia in 2011, a 1990 underaged possession of alcohol and a hit and run that did property damage.

As of Dec. 3, 2024, Kirtley pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.

According to WCNC, Kirtley won’t be seeing jail time, with suspended sentences handed down:

On Tuesday, Kirtley was sentenced for both sexual exploitation charges separately. In the sentences handed down, he got two 25-to-90 months in prison suspended for 36 months of supervised probation with a 120-day split sentence in both judgements. The second split sentence was deferred until following a 6-month review. He received credit for 120 days he already spent in jail on the first case. Should his probation be revoked, the sentences would be served consecutively. He was also ordered by the judge to have no contact with minors, and he must be registered as a sex offender for 30 years.

Kirtley’s sex offender registration can be viewed here.