A so-called “Teacher of the Year” honor just turned into a nightmare headline for a North Carolina educator. Jesse Cassino, 42, a teacher at Northeastern High School in Elizabeth City, is now facing five counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor after a disturbing investigation.
“Teacher of the Year” Title Tarnished
According to authorities, police executed a search warrant at Cassino’s home on Chalk Street and uncovered multiple explicit videos of children — specifically minors between the ages of 11 and 14 — engaged in sexual acts. Investigators say the findings led to Cassino’s immediate arrest and formal charges.
What’s even more disturbing? A now-deleted social media post recently celebrated Jesse Cassino as the 2025-2026 Teacher of the Year at Northeastern High School. That praise didn’t age well.
Cassino is now sitting in jail on a $200,000 secured bond, and the investigation is far from over.
Who is Jesse Cassino?
A quick look at the school’s staff directory shows Cassino listed as a current educator at Northeastern High. Parents and community members are reeling after the allegations, especially since he was recently praised with one of the school’s highest honors.
Cassino, seen wearing a Northeastern shirt in his mugshot, has been suspended from work, according to Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools Associate Superintendent Rachael Haines.
