Jan 25, 2008 - Eric Allen Jr., 45, a 7th grade teacher at Canton Middle School, was arrested after a week of online conversations with a police officer that resulted in him planning to meet who he thought was a 15-year-old boy for sex. 
Allen faces charges of felony solicitation of a child by computer to commit an unlawful sex act. He was hired over a year ago at the school. He will be suspended without pay while Bailey, superintended Anne Garrett and other school officials investigate the situation. (Idiotically, the superintendent "could not say whether or not Allen had previously been a teacher elsewhere due to employment laws.")
The investigation began after he posted an ad on the Craigslist classifieds web site stating he was looking for young boys. Police found a variety of sex paraphernalia at Allen’s home while executing search warrants.
Anyone who has further information or concerns regarding Allen is asked to call the Waynesville Police Department Criminal Investigations at 356-1175 or Canton police at 648-2376.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Canton, NORTH CAROLINA
