Elizabeth City, N.C. — A high school teacher from Elizabeth City has been arrested and charged with five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, officials confirmed Monday.
42-year-old Jesse Roe Cassino, a history teacher at Northeastern High School, was taken into custody in the 1100 block of Chalk Street. According to court records, Cassino is accused of receiving five videos containing child pornography, including one depicting a girl estimated to be as young as 11.
The Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools (ECPPS) district has since suspended Cassino pending further investigation. In a statement, Associate Superintendent Rachel Hines said, “ECPPS is cooperating fully with law enforcement… We are committed to maintaining a safe and supportive environment.”
A Facebook post from April 2025 had celebrated Cassino’s recognition as Teacher of the Year at Northeastern High. That post has since been removed.
Community members expressed their shock. “When we send our kids to school, we expect them to be safe,” one fellow teacher said. A local grandmother called the allegations “sickening and diabolical.”
Cassino was issued a $200,000 secured bond and transported to Albemarle District Jail. Police say the investigation is ongoing.
