DeKalb teacher arrested fondling student in parking lot

By Megan Matteucci

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Police say they arrested a Stone Mountain Middle School teacher Thursday – moments before he was about to have sex with a 15-year-old student.

Charles Thomas McClendon, 29, is now being held in the Clayton County jail, charged with child molestation and enticing a child for indecent purposes.

A Jonesboro Police officer was patrolling when he spotted two people in the back seat of a pickup truck, parked behind the El Tarasco restaurant around 2:30 a.m. Thursday, Jonesboro Major Tim Jessup said.

As the officer pulled up, McClendon tossed a condom, jumped out of the truck and pulled on his pants, police said. The girl fumbled around the truck and put her clothes back on, Jessup said.

McClendon was in the act of fondling the girl, according to an arrest warrant filed in Clayton County Magistrate Court Thursday.

Officers intervened as McClendon was putting on a condom, according to the warrant.

“If Sgt. [Eric] Bradshaw came five minutes later, they would have been in the act,” Jessup said.

Once McClendon realized his visitor was the police, he tried to get back in his truck and drive off, Jessup said. But officers stopped him.

McClendon, of Decatur, initially told police the student was his girlfriend, but later admitted she attended the school where he teaches. Officers identified the school as Stone Mountain Middle School.

“I just got back in town and went to pick up my girlfriend. Then we came her to have sex. I’m sorry,” McClendon told the officer. The teacher’s statements are included in a police report.

The girl, who first lied about her age, told police McClendon was her boyfriend. She later told police that McClendon was her tutor at Stone Mountain Middle last year, Jessup said.

Dale Davis, a spokesman for DeKalb County Schools, said McClendon is a first-year teacher in the school system. Davis said he could not comment further because it is a personnel matter.

McClendon is scheduled to be arraigned Friday morning.

Officers contacted the girl’s mother, who picked her up. Police said the girl was spending the night with her cousin in Clayton County.

Police searched McClendon’s truck and seized a 9mm handgun. However, police said the girl was not forced to the location.

“He was supposed to be someone she trusted,” Jessup said. “It’s just unbelievable. I don’t know what people are thinking.”

McClendon is listed as an eighth grade math teacher on Stone Mountain Middle’s website.

He lists himself as a teacher, coach and graduate of Towers High School in Decatur on his own Facebook page.