Former North Carolina teacher pleads guilty to sex charges

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A former North Carolina high school science teacher accused of abusing almost 20 victims during his career has pleaded guilty to child sex charges.

News outlets report the New Hanover County District Attorney’s Office says 50-year-old Michael Earl Kelly entered a guilty plea Tuesday. Prosecutors had filed approximately 60 charges against Kelly, including indecent liberties with a child and indecent liberties with a student.

Kelly had been arrested in February 2018. Search warrants said Kelly had shared pornographic images with some of his students at Isaac Bear Early College High School via a Snapchat group.

He was sentenced to between about 17 1/2 years and 31 1/4 years in prison.