NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER ARRESTED COMPUTER THEFT CASE AT SCHOOL http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ%2FMGArticle%2FWSJ_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149191270613&path=!localnews!education!&s


A sixth-grade science teacher at Philo Middle School whose house was the scene of a shooting three weeks ago was arrested this week on charges that he stole seven computers from the school system.

Christopher Neil Nifong, 43, of 400 E. Sprague St. turned himself in to police Wednesday on a warrant for his arrest for seven counts of larceny by an employee.

He is accused of stealing seven laptop computers valued at $3,800 from the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools.

At Philo, Nifong was the teacher assigned to help other teachers and students with computer problems, said Theo Helm, a spokesman for the school system.

He was paid a $500 stipend each year to be the school's technology facilitator.
Nifong, reached by telephone yesterday, declined to comment on his case.

The theft charges appear to stem from an investigation into a shooting Sept. 30 at Nifong's home.

That day, police say they believe that Tony Lynn Richardson, 18, shot Steven Webb, 15, in the arm and abdomen with a .22-caliber rifle. Nifong was at a football game at the time, according to court papers.

He was arrested on a charge of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile on Oct. 3. Police and prosecutors say they believe that Nifong left guns at his home unsecured, which created an unsafe environment for Webb.

Richardson is a friend of Nifong's son, and Richardson and Webb are friends, according to court papers and a police statement.

Webb had been treated at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, according to court papers, but he was not listed at the hospital yesterday.

On Oct. 3, police got a search warrant for Nifong's house. Forsyth District Court Judge Denise Hartsfield sealed the search warrant on Oct. 4. The next day, police obtained warrants for Nifong on the seventheft counts.

Hartsfield's order said that disclosing details provided by a witness would "jeopardize the integrity of the ongoing investigation."

Police declined to say what led them to investigate the theft of computers, or to discuss the case.

Helm said that Nifong reported at the beginning of last school year that several computers had been stolen.

The school system is still trying to figure out whether all seven laptop computers were stolen from Philo, he said.

The school system suspended Nifong with pay after the shooting. Helm said that Nifong remains suspended while the investigation continues.

Nifong began his teaching career in 1990 as a substitute. He taught at Ashley Middle and Southeast Middle before he was hired at Philo in 2001, Helm said.

Helm said that Philo sent a letter home to parents Oct. 11 about Nifong's pending arrest. Nifong turned himself in Wednesday morning. He was released on a $10,000 unsecured bond. He is not allowed on school-system property or to contact anyone at Philo.

• Phoebe Zerwick can be reached at 727-7291 or at pzerwick@wsjournal.com.

• ?Dan Galindo can be reached 727-7377 or at dgalindo@wsjournal.com.