A former Sampson County Schools educator could be facing up to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to distribution of child pornography earlier this week.
Paul Stephen Pearsall, 31, who had taught at Hobbton Middle School up to his arrest seven months ago, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge William A. Webb Monday afternoon.
During the course of an investigation, conducted by the State Bureau of Investigation and the North Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, of online trafficking in child pornography, law enforcement identified Pearsall, who lived in Roseboro, as a person who was sharing images depicting the sexual abuse of young boys. After seeing the same user offering such images online on multiple occasions, investigators traced the source of the images to the Roseboro home of Pearsall.
In October 2011, a search warrant was executed at Pearsall’s residence.
Forensic examination of computer equipment located at the residence revealed hundreds of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.
Just before his arrest by SBI investigators, Pearsall resigned from Sampson County Schools, where he had been employed since Feb. 1, 2008 as a science teacher.
According to Thomas G. Walker, U.S. Attorney, the case was part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a national program aimed at ensuring that criminals exploiting children are effectively prosecuted by making full use of all available law enforcement resources at every level.
For more information about this national project, Project Safe Childhood, go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Investigation of this case was conducted by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the North Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
According to the North Carolina Department of Corrections, Pearsall has no previous convictions. A date for his sentencing has not been announced.
Anyone having information relevant to this case should contact the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Cybercrimes Unit at 919-779-8130.
To reach Doug Clark call 910-592-8137 ext. 123 or email to sisports@heartlandpublications.com.
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