North Carolina coach suspended following secret peeping charge

A North Carolina high school teacher and coach is facing charges by local police after allegedly installing secret cameras in a relative’s bathroom.

Mark Thompson, 50, was charged by Atlantic Beach police on June 1 for felony secret peeping.

According to the warrant, Thompson, a West Carteret (NC) High School teacher, “did secretly and surreptitiously install into any more, a device capable of creating a photographic image of another person without their consent and for the purpose of arousing or gratifying sexual desire of another person.”

A recent story from WITN.com details the available information at the moment.

Atlantic Beach Police Chief Jeff Harvey tells WITN that a relative of Thompson’s told police that they had found Thompson installing a camera system in a relative’s bathroom. Harvey said that Thompson was known to come over to the relative’s home to help repair things.

Thompson is listed on the school’s website as the men’s and women’s tennis coach, a computer science and information technology teacher, Future Business Leaders of America advisor, and a LifeSmarts Quiz Bowl coach.

WITN reached out to Thompson who has not returned our call.

When asked about Thompson’s status at West Carteret High School, the school system provided a statement that reads, “Mark Thompson is an employee of Carteret County Public Schools who has served as a Career and Technical Education teacher at West Carteret High School since 2006. Mr. Thompson was suspended with pay on June 1, 2023, pending an investigation. Due to privacy laws, we are unable to share further details of the investigation. We have been advised by law enforcement officers that the allegations against Mr. Thompson are not related to any school or his work as an educator and do not involve a student.”

Morehead City police, which has jurisdiction over West Carteret High School, said that it does not have an investigation open into Thompson.

To read the full story from WITN.com, click here.