High School Teacher Richard Lee DeLong Charged with Child Exploitation for Sending Nude Photos to Male Student

Richard Lee DeLong, a teacher at Crossroads Academy in Carroll County, Ga., was arrested Wednesday and charged with child exploitation after police said he attempted to arrange a sexual tryst with a male student, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. I might also add that DeLong is a renowned religious singer. If the allegations are true, Richard Lee DeLong is another wolf in sheep's clothing.

Richard Lee DeLong, an instructor in the online learning lab at Crossroads Academy, began sending inappropriate text messages to the student about a week ago, Carroll County Sheriff's spokesman Shane Taylor told the AJC.

On Tuesday, the student, 17, and his mother filed a report with the sheriff's office. At that point, Taylor said, the messages were inappropriate but not illegal.

The 17-year-old turned his phone over to deputies, who continued receiving messages from DeLong. That night, the teacher, employed by Carroll County schools since 1988, tried to arrange a sexual encounter with the teen and also sent photos of nude men to the student's phone, Taylor said. Source

DeLong has been placed on administrative leave, pending the outcome of an investigation. It is unthinkable and despicable that sex predators can take pleasure out of violating children. It is unfathomable.

Photo credit: Richard Lee DeLong (Carroll County Sheriff's Dept. AJC)