Warrant: Man stole identity to get teaching job in Franklin County
WAS HURT. TRAFFIC IS MOVING
AGAIN IN THAT AREA.
>> CLAYTON THEN USED A STOLEN
IDENTITY TO GET A JOB AT A
FRANKLIN COUNTY SCHOOL. THAT'S
ACCORDING TO COURT DOCUMENTS
OBTAINED BY WRAL POLICE SAY
CROSS CREEK CHARTER SCHOOL
HIRED GREGORY PETTIFORD THEN
REALIZE SOME OF HIS PAPERWORK
DIDN'T ADD UP. HE'S CHARGED
WITH IDENTITY THEFT, THE
BUREAU'S DESTINY PATTERSON
EXPLAINS THE OTHER CHARGES HE
FACES.
>> THE POLICE CHIEF HERE IN
LEWISBURG TELLS ME THAT THE
SCHOOL REACHED OUT WITH
CONCERNS ABOUT A MONTH AGO FOR
THE PAST 2 DAYS. WE HAVE BEEN
REACHING OUT TO THE SCHOOL,
TRYING TO GET MORE CLARITY ON
THIS INCIDENT. BUT WE HAVEN'T
HEARD BACK. WHAT I DID FIND WAS
A LONG CRIMINAL HISTORY.
>> JUST BARELY INTO A NEW
SCHOOL YEAR. ADMINISTRATOR IS
AT CROSS CREEK CHARTER SCHOOL.
WELL, AS ONE OF THEIR NEW HIRES
MIGHT NOT BE WHO HE SAID HE WAS
COURT DOCUMENTS SAY GREGORY
PETTIFORD STOLE PEOPLE'S
IDENTITIES TO APPLY HERE AND
WAS EVENTUALLY HIRED. THE
LEWISBURG POLICE CHIEF WAS NOT
AVAILABLE FOR AN INTERVIEW BUT
TOLD ME OVER EMAIL THAT PETR
FOR DID NOT HAVE ANY
INTERACTION WITH CHILDREN.
I CALLED E-MAILED AND WENT TO
THE SCHOOL IN PERSON. I ASKED
ABOUT THE SCHOOL'S VETTING
PROCESS FOR PROSPECTIVE
EMPLOYEES AND WHEN THEY NOTICE
ISSUES THAT SOME OF PET EFFORTS
DOCUMENTATION WAS NOT ADDING
UP. I WAS TOLD THE DIRECTOR
WAS OUT AND I HAVEN'T HEARD
BACK VIA E-MAIL WHILE LOOKING
OF THE DETAILS. IN THIS CASE, I
FOUND A SLEW OF OTHER
CONVICTIONS AGAINST PADDACK FOR
DATING BACK TO THE 80'S.
THEY INCLUDE WRITING BAD
CHECKS, IMPERSONATION AND
STEALING RALEIGH POLICE ALSO
ARRESTED PETTIFORD EARLIER THIS
YEAR AND THAT AND SINCE HE'S
ACCUSED OF WRITING A FRAUDULENT
CHECK FOR VEHICLE REPAIRS IN
RALEIGH, ACCORDING TO COURT
DOCUMENTS, I TALKED TO JASON
RUSSELL OVER THE PHONE. HE
CONSULTS WITH SCHOOLS TO
ENHANCE THEIR SAFETY AND
SECURITY. THAT'S DEFINITELY A
HUGE CONCERN TO HAVE SOMEBODY.
>> WHO'S, YOU KNOW, COMMITTING
IDENTITY THEFT OPERATING IN
YOUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. WHAT ARE
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT SCHOOL
SYSTEM SHOULD BE LOOKING OUT
FOR? HOW CAN THEY KNOW THAT
SOME OF THE DOCUMENTATION MAY
BE FRAUDULENT? WELL, I THINK
OBVIOUSLY CHECKING REFERENCES.
HE ALSO TELLS ME FINGERPRINTING
IS AN IMPORTANT STEP OF THE
VERIFICATION PROCESS.
>> ACROSS CREEKS PROCESS IS NOT
CLEAR THE LEWISBURG POLICE
CHIEF SAYS HIS DEPARTMENT IS
WORKING CLOSELY WITH CROSS
CREEK CHARTER SCHOOL TO
ESTABLISH PROTOCOLS. SO NOTHING
LIKE THIS WILL
HAPPEN AGAIN.
>> I'M WORKING TO LEARN EXACTLY
WHAT KIND OF BIRDS POSITION WAS
AT THE SCHOOL AND HOW LONG HE
WAS WORKING THERE. DESTINY.