Teacher's Assistant Accused Of Making Sex Video Of Child

CHARLOTTE, N.C.,None — A teacher's assistant was arrested after a coworker at J.H. Gunn Elementary School borrowed a video camera from him and discovered sexually explicit images of a child, according to sheriff's deputies.

"It's disturbing any time you harm a child, especially if you're a parent," said Cabarrus County Sheriff Brad Riley.

Detectives arrested 38-year-old James Meskill at the school on Wednesday and charged him with first-degree sex offense and first-degree exploitation of a minor.

CMS officials said Meskill resigned immediately after his arrest. He began working at J.H. Gunn Elementary in February.

"(There is) no reason for us to believe that anybody at the school or in his community or anything outside of his family were involved," Riley said.

At J.H. Gunn Elementary on Thursday, several parents said they were shocked by the charges.

"It's disturbing. Very disturbing that he was at my child's school," Jennifer Locklear said.

Another parent, Kelly Rice, said she had to explain to her first-grade daughter why Meskill was not in her classroom anymore.

"She had just asked what happened to him, and I just said he did some bad things,' Rice said.

Riley said Charlotte-Mecklenburg police called him on Tuesday after Meskill's coworker alerted officers to what he saw on the video camera. The sheriff said he's grateful to the person who came forward and helped get the investigation started.

"They will be able to sleep at night and for the rest of their lives knowing they were probably the only saving grace for that child and maybe even other children," Riley said.

Meskill was placed in the Cabarrus County Jail under a $300,000 bond.

Eyewitness News has also learned that Meskill could face federal charges because he allegedly videotaped the victim. The day after Meskill was arrested, the U.S. Attorney's office contacted CMS police.

"In the federal world, the video is the big charge. In the state world, the act of violence against the child is the big charge," said CMS Police Chief Bud Cesena.

WSOC