Former CMS sub accused of indecent liberties with students faces more charges

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Police have issued nine more charges against a substitute teacher accused of indecent liberties with students.

Lamont Barrett, a former Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools substitute teacher at Rocky River High School was arrested after he was accused of sex crimes involving a student.

Barrett, 31, was suspended two weeks ago and was fired last Thursday. He is now facing 15 counts of indecent liberties and was also charged with distributing obscene material.

Mint Hill police officers said they spoke with more students who have come forward with allegations against Barrett.

"It's always disappointing because we always look up to our educators as being, like, the top of the crop," parent Tracy Jackson said.

Police said last week that initially there was one victim. Records show the abuse happened during school hours and inside a classroom.

Barrett was hired in March of this year. He only worked at Rocky River High, district officials said.

Barrett has been arrested on multiple traffic violations since 2011 in South Carolina and in June of 2014, he was charged with possession of marijuana or hashish.

In North Carolina, Barrett was charged with driving with a revoked license twice in 2017.

One time was in February and the other was on the second day of school.

Channel 9 pushed CMS for information on its hiring policy and officials did not answer specific questions.

Officials sent a statement that said the district has a "rigorous, background-check process in its hiring protocol and in vetting volunteers."

CMS officials said it conducted a background check on Barrett in North and South Carolina and it came back clean.

The district has not responded when asked how the charges were missed and if Barrett notified the district about his charge of driving with a revoked license on the second day of school.

Officials said the district is investigating the recent incidents closely.

Some of the parents wished they had known about the investigation earlier. Rosie Vida said she was not notified of the allegations.

"No, I just found out," Vida told Eyewitness News reporter Glenn Counts.

She said she was disappointed and would've liked to have been contacted by the school or district.

Officers are asking parents to talk with their children to find out if they encountered Barrett.

Police are asking anyone with more information to contact the Mint Hill Police Department at 704-545-1085.

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