Middle school teacher arrested

Sex charge stuns friends and family

CHAPEL HILL -- Online and off, middle school teacher David Jones' life has revolved around children.

He spent days teaching science, evenings coaching football and weekends with Chapel Hill's Boy Scout Troop 39.

He even kept up with students as "Coach Jones" on MySpace.com, a popular Web site for socializing.

But sheriff's investigators say at some point Jones went too far.

On Wednesday, the Orange County Sheriff's Office charged Jones, 46, with solicitation of a child by computer to commit an unlawful sex act.

Deputies, waiting for Jones at a minor's home in Orange County, arrested him when he showed up. He had been under investigation for four days.

Jones was being held in the Orange County jail Wednesday night in lieu of $1 million bail.

Sheriff's deputies searched his home at 113 Hampton Court in Chapel Hill, hauling out a tub of VHS tapes and an Apple computer.

Similar but separate charges against Jones are expected out of Wake County, said Phyllis Stephens with the Wake County Sheriff's Office.

After his arrest, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school system suspended Jones.

The news floored friends and family, who have known him as a Boy Scout volunteer since his days at UNC-Chapel Hill.

"David doesn't even tell dirty jokes," said Jim Mackorell, who has led Troop 39 for more than 40 years. "He's always been an exemplary model."

Jones has been with Phillips Middle School for 23 years. He was most recently an athletics director, football coach and eighth-grade science teacher.

Neither Mackorell nor Stephanie Knott, spokeswoman for Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, knew of any investigations into Jones' behavior.

"I was grooming him to take over the troop," Mackorell said.

Now he fears the scout leader's character will be destroyed.

Jones' mother, who lives in the family's native Concord, was equally dismayed.

"Oh, heavens no!" said Kathleen Jones, reached by phone Wednesday. "He is of exceptional character. I've never heard of any such thing."

Neighbors in Jones' cul-de-sac said children were often coming and going from his house. Former students sent messages to "Coach Jones" on MySpace.com.

"Teenagers are great. They are so full of life and energy," Jones' online profile says.

He cites Mackorell, his fifth-grade teacher and his students as heroes. He also notes that he is not married and has no children, though he poses with two small children in his photo.

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro school system -- which pays Jones $74,000 per year counting bonus, longevity and coaching supplements -- has numerous letters of commendation in his personnel file, Knott said.

Principal Eileen Tully at Phillips Middle School said she was too unfamiliar with Jones' situation to comment.

Jones is scheduled to appear this morning at the Orange County Courthouse in Hillsborough.