Former teacher gets suspended sentence, probation for sex with student

A former West Craven High School teacher is on probation and has registered as a sex offender, after pleading guilty to having sexual intercourse with a female student.

He is John Franklin Rasberry, 33.

Last week in Craven County Superior Court, Rasberry was sentenced to 13 to 16 months in prison, suspended for 36 months. He was  put on intense probation for six months and regular probation for 30 months.

Rasberry, the father of two small children, has to turn in his state teacher's license and register as a convicted sex offender.

He has registered and his home address is listed as 610 S.W. Craven Middle School Road.

He was accused of having sexual intercourse with a student at the high school in a period listed on the warrant from Oct. 1, 2007, to Jan. 1, 2008.

Bill Rivenbark, superintendent of Craven County schools, said the system conducted an investigation during that time.

"He (Rasberry) is not licensed," Rivenbark said. "He never has been. He was a certified at-will employee. At least that's the information I have, and I remember seeing that during the investigation."

Rivenbark said Don Hughes, a former West Craven principal, hired Rasberry for the 2003-04 school year. He said Rasberry managed the school's in-school suspension program and was a teacher assistant.

Last week, Gerald Johnson, the school system's human resources director, said Rasberry and one other teacher resigned from West Craven during winter break. Johnson said the resignations were related to conduct investigations.

The student, who is 17, reported the incident to school administrators, who gave information to the Craven County Sheriff's Office. Sheriff's investigators arrested Rasberry in mid-January.

Court papers indicate that Rasberry was cooperative and wrote a statement about the incident.

He must perform 200 hours of community service, pay a fine, attorney fees, court costs and community service costs totaling $1,515.30.