SELMA – An employee at a Johnston County group home has been arrested on serious felony charges.
Stephen Jerome Atkinson, age 54, of Wilson was arrested May 28 by the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office. He is charged with sexual act by a substitute parent/custodian and first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.
Authorities said the alleged offenses happened at a group home on Old Batten Road outside of Selma. An online search indicates the facility is operated by Savin Grace LLC.
The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office confirmed a report was filed with their agency on May 6, 2024 and following a three week investigation Stephen Atkinson was arrested.
According to a copy of the arrest warrant for sexual act by a substitute parent/custodian, Atkinson had assumed a position of a parent/custodian at the location where a minor child under age 18 was residing. Atkinson allegedly engaged in vaginal intercourse with the victim, the warrant states.
On the charge of first-degree sexual exploitation, the warrant says Atkinson encouraged the minor to engage in sexual activity “…performed oral sex on the defendant for a live performance….”
Authorities said they received consent from Atkinson to search his cell phone and reportedly found videotaped evidence of the alleged assault. The phone was seized as evidence.
The warrant also states the victim is in the guardianship of the Johnston County Department of Social Services. Authorities confirmed the Department of Social Services removed the child from the group home after the incident was reported.
Atkinson is being held under a $200,000 secured bond. If he is able to post bail, a judge has ordered the defendant to stay away from the victim and not communicate with them, directly or indirectly.
We reached out to Savin Grace for a comment. A person who answered the phone declined to give their name but stated Atkinson was terminated and is no longer an employee. They declined to offer any further comment about the alleged incident.
This is horrible and awful… how often do these group homes get monitored?
As often as Joe’s house and Epsteins island
You win the internet!
I am sorry but, who has a personal photo with Epstein?
I know someone who had a painting of himself wearing a dress in epstiens house,
Read the article, thought they were talking about Joe
David you do know that Bill did not pose for that painting, right? I can paint a picture of Trump on a bed with Stormy, Karen McDougal and all the other women Trump has had affairs with – and hang it in my house. I can put Trump in blue boxers to match his ” beautiful blue eyes.” Gag me …..
I wonder why Trump recently stated he wouldn’t declassify the Epstein files?
Yes but did Trump ditch his security detail and go to Epstein island over 20 times like Bill?
Plus, there’s the whole “ showering with his teenage daughter” thing
TDS is alive and well.
Clearly nc dss can’t keep children safe considering they placed these children in this home not knowing what would or was being done to them as for one victim in this case they didn’t remove her until she ran away for the 2nd time. They should have seen the signs they were there and yet when she would leave they would find her take her right back never asking why she was doing the things she was doing and further more they have more than one adult wanting to be a parent to this child and for whatever reason they have stopped the approval process everytime keeping her in thier custody and clearly unprotected when she has more than one family member more than qualified to take care of her and do what they can’t and that’s keep her safe and protected and loved but that would cut thier funds off for that child so why would they want to do that. Nc dss and joco dss is f**ked up. I know clearly thru personal experiences
It’s harrowing and unfortunate that she had to endure this. For starters SUE.
I’m so sorry that this happened to you and your family. If this pos was in NY I’d beat the pedo out of this waste of life. It’s unfortunate that this happened and I hope they give IT at least 40 years in solitary confinement!!