CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A former teacher at Martin Luther King Middle School admitted in court today that he texted a photo of his private parts to a student.
Ryan Patrick Marshall, 38, pleaded guilty to disseminating material harmful to a minor, a misdemeanor, said Assistant District Attorney Kelly Miller. He received a 45-day suspended sentence and 18 months probation and was ordered to get a mental health assessment, she said.
The incident occurred last April. Miller said the mother of a 13-year-old girl found inappropriate texts from Marshall on the girl s phone and texted back, pretending to be the student, to set up a meeting at a skating rink. Marshall showed up, but when the mother confronted him, he said he was there to pick up his niece, Miller said.
Miller said the mother called police after the encounter. Police found a photo of Marshall s penis on his own cell phone but not on the student s, she said. But in court, he acknowledged having sent it to her and apologized to the student and to his own family, Miller said.
A felony charge of taking indecent liberties with a child was dismissed for insufficient evidence; Miller said Marshall denied having any physical contact with the girl.
Marshall worked for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools from August 2005 to February 2007, when he left to work for Central Cabarrus High School. He returned to CMS s King Middle in 2008, and was suspended with pay after his arrest. CMS officials said today he has not worked for the district since June.
Marshall was the subject of a front-page profile in the Observer in February 2008, based on a book he and another teacher wrote about the challenges of urban education.
CMS does criminal background checks on employees, but court records show Marshall did not have a criminal record in North Carolina before last year s arrest. He could not be reached for comment today.
Miller said if parents suspect abuse, including sexual text messages, they should immediately call police and the Department of Social Services. Confronting the perpetrator is not only dangerous, but it can seriously affect the investigation and prosecution of a case, she said.
