Opelika Substitute Teacher Faces Sex Charges Involving Children

Charles Edward Baker, Jr. – Photo from Lee County Sheriff’s Office

A substitute teacher at Opelika Middle School faces sex charges involving three 11-year-old girls.

Court documents say that Charles Edward Baker, Jr. is charged with three counts of school employee sexual contact and two counts of sex abuse involving children under the age of 12. He was arrested this week.

According to those court documents, on or about November 17, 2022, Baker had contact with a student in his official capacity as a school employee, intentionally and knowingly engaged in sexual contact with one girl by rubbing her lower back around her buttocks. He’s accused of touching the other two girls’ buttocks on or around the same time period.

Opelika City Schools released this statement to WAKA about the case:

“Mr. Baker was a substitute teacher hired through an outside agency. After the alleged incident was reported, Mr. Baker was asked to leave the school and has not returned to school property. In addition, he has not been hired as a substitute teacher at any Opelika City School since that date.  Opelika City Schools has cooperated fully with the investigation.”

Baker’s bond was $145,000. He is currently out on bond.