Former Elementary School Teacher, 33, Arrested After 'Inappropriate' and 'Prolonged' Relationship with 14-Year-Old: Police
Nicole Ballew Callaham, 33, is facing multiple charges from both the Anderson County Sheriff's Office and the Greenville Police Department
The suspect and the teenager's relationship "intensified as she reportedly signed the student out of school, transported him to practices, and served as a supervisor for after-school activities," the ACSO wrote on social mediaA former elementary school teacher in South Carolina has been arrested after having "an inappropriate and unlawful relationship with a 14-year-old male," authorities have said.
On the morning of Thursday, July 10, former Anderson County teacher Nicole Ballew Callaham, 33, "voluntarily surrendered herself" and was "charged with three counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor and one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor," the Anderson County Sheriff's Office (ACSO) wrote in an Instagram post.
Detectives determined that the former teacher "had a prolonged" relationship with the teen, and had allegedly "engaged in grooming behavior toward the boy during his early teenage years," the post stated.
"An investigation initiated in May 2025 uncovered evidence that the misconduct began in 2021 and continued for at least two years with the then teenage boy," the sheriff's office wrote.
The Greenville Police Department added in a separate post obtained by PEOPLE and shared on Facebook that "some of the alleged criminal activity had occurred within the jurisdiction of the City of Greenville."
The police department confirmed that Callaham had previously worked as an elementary school teacher, writing, "The investigation revealed that Callaham engaged in an inappropriate and unlawful relationship with a 14-year-old male. Based on evidence collected, Greenville detectives obtained arrest warrants for multiple offenses committed within our jurisdiction."
In addition to the ACSO's charges, the suspect has also been charged with eight counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor and four counts of unlawful conduct towards a child by the Greenville Police Department.
The ACSO said on Instagram that the suspect and the teenager's relationship had "intensified as she reportedly signed the student out of school, transported him to practices, and served as a supervisor for after-school activities."
"These repeated interactions led to a prolonged pattern of abuse, which was corroborated by search warrants and ongoing cooperation with the victim's family," the sheriff's office added.
"According to investigators, the victim made the decision to come forward after turning 18, following time spent processing the experience and trauma associated with the abuse," the post stated.
The sheriff's office also confirmed that a "parallel investigation is currently underway by the Clemson City Police Department."
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
Callaham has since resigned from her teaching position "and Anderson School District Five is aware of the investigation and charges made by ACSO detectives," the post noted.
Following Callaham's arraignment on the ACSO's charges, "she will be transported to the Greenville County Detention Center for charges filed by the Greenville Police Department," the police department wrote on Facebook.
The Anderson County Sheriff's Office and Anderson School District Five didn't immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information. The Greenville City Police Department didn't have any additional updates to share at this time.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
Read the original article on People
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
3 hours ago
- Fox News
DOJ employee charged with felony after allegedly whacking federal agent with sandwich amid Trump DC crime crackdown
A former DOJ employee is facing federal assault charges after allegedly "forcefully" throwing a Subway sandwich at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent during a confrontation Sunday night in Washington, D.C. Metro Transit Police said they were patrolling the U Street area, seemingly as part of the Trump administration's initiative to crackdown on crime in the nation's capital, when a man later identified as Sean Charles Dunn shouted obscenities at a CBP agent, standing inches from his face and calling him a "fascist." Moments later, police said Dunn returned, wound up, and "forcefully threw" a sandwich at the agent, hitting him in the chest, according to court documents. He then ran away, with a trail of federal officers chasing him. Witnesses could be heard giggling as Dunn darted from the cops, according to an Instagram video posted by a bystander. WHITE HOUSE LAUNCHES FEDERAL SECURITY BLITZ AS PRESIDENT VOWS TO END DC 'CRIME PLAGUE' After being arrested and taken to the police station, Dunn allegedly told another officer, "I did it. I threw a sandwich." He is charged with felony assault on a law enforcement officer. Attorney General Pamela Bondi on X Thursday confirmed Dunn worked at the Department of Justice and was fired. "I just learned that this defendant worked at the Department of Justice — NO LONGER," Bondi wrote in a post. "Not only is he FIRED, he has been charged with a felony. This is an example of the Deep State we have been up against for seven months as we work to refocus DOJ. You will NOT work in this administration while disrespecting our government and law enforcement." U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro reacted to the incident on social media Wednesday, serving up a strong message for anyone else considering assaulting an officer. "He thought it was funny," Pirro said in the video. "Well, he doesn't think it's funny today, because we charged him with a felony assault on a police officer, and we're going to back the police to the hilt. So there. Stick your Subway sandwich somewhere else." The incident comes after President Donald Trump on Monday federalized the DC Metropolitan Police Department under section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, which allows the president to take emergency control of the police force for 30 days. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPHundreds of National Guard members have been deployed to the city, joining agents from federal law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Capitol Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Subway did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
WIRED
3 hours ago
- WIRED
Christian Militants Are Using Instagram to Recruit—and Becoming Influencers in the Process
Aug 14, 2025 11:08 AM There's a new guard of paramilitary activists, whose youthful membership, edgy aesthetics, use of Instagram, and, in many cases, overt nods to religion points to a new brand of anti-government Christian nationalist militias. Photo Illustration:In a reel shared to Instagram on February 14, an account identifying itself with a group called 'The 13th Northeast Guerillas' put out a call to prospective recruits in Vermont and New Hampshire. What they advertised was fairly benign on its surface: fitness, community, preparation, survivalist training. The video was set to the tune of Kendrick Lamar's 'TV Off,' and featured a rapid succession of highly edited images showing armed men posing in the wilderness in tactical gear. They sometimes wore skeleton masks, and everyone had their faces entirely concealed or censored. In many of the images, crucifixes are seen visibly dangling from their necks or sewn onto clothing. In another post from earlier this year, one of the group's purported members shared a photo of a young man holding an assault weapon with a crucifix displayed over a plaid shirt and his face blurred out. The caption cites Psalm 19:1: 'The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim his handiwork." That quotation is followed by a series of hashtags, including '#militia,' '#wellregulated militia,' '#northeastguerillas,' and '#modernminutemen.' This group is part of a new guard of paramilitary activists, whose youthful membership, edgy aesthetics, use of Instagram, and, in many cases, overt nods to religion points to a new brand of anti-government Christian nationalist militias. Many of these new groups, whose follower counts range between dozens and thousands, began quietly setting up shop on Instagram over the last two years. The Tech Transparency Project, which monitors extremism online, identified nearly 200 Instagram accounts as 'militia related,' and categorized dozens of those as part of this new generation of Christian nationalist militias. Over time, these groups have continued to grow their audience on Instagram, publishing slick propaganda imagery from IRL meet-ups that often shows groups of armed men with their faces covered or censored. Many of the Christian nationalist groups on Instagram try to hide behind what appear to be businesses—operating merch stores, for example, that are linked to their accounts, which they can use to fund themselves through sales of apparel, tactical gear, patches or even weapons training. Experts say that this emergent movement draws on a number of trends in the modern extremist landscape, including that it establishes a paramilitary wing of surging Christian nationalism in the US, and reflects the sensibilities of a new generation of fitness-obsessed, 'Christ-pilled' young men, some of who call themselves tradcaths. (This is the name for the highly online, far-right community who churn out provocative memes promoting an idiosyncratic interpretation of what they claim to be traditional Catholicism.) This movement is also growing at a time when the traditional militia movement has been left ageing, rudderless and paranoid since January 6, 2021. The fact that the movement is made up of small autonomous cells loosely connected online is also in keeping with the shift towards hyper-local extremist organizing seen in the last few years. While the old guard of paramilitary groups looked to Facebook as fertile ground for reaching and radicalizing prospective recruits, this younger generation of wannabe militants use Instagram like any influencer would—commenting on each other's posts or tagging one another as a way to cross-promote, boost their own followings and strengthen their networks. 'It's basically turning ideology into influencer culture,' says Katie Paul, director of the Tech Transparency Project. 'Instagram is the best platform for that. It's one of the platforms that influencers have broadly flocked to because they can monetize it easily. It's very visual, and it's been increasingly incorporating features you have on Facebook, like private group messages.' Meta does, however, have rules designed to curb alleged paramilitary organizing. According to its 'Dangerous Organizations and Individuals' policy, 'violence inducing entities' identified by Meta are not allowed to have a presence on any of its platforms. Such an entity is defined as a non-state actor that 'uses weapons as part of their training, communication, or presence; and are structured or operate as unofficial military or security forces' and either coordinates in preparation for violence or civil war, promotes violence against government officials, engages in crimes like theft or vandalism, engages in "mid-severity violence" at civic events, or promotes bringing weapons to places with the goal of intimidation. Paul says that many of these groups would likely meet the criteria—and Meta has already removed dozens of groups in this space over the years from Instagram. But Meta has also been repeatedly criticized by extremism watchdogs, including the Tech Transparency Project, for failing to take enough of a proactive approach and enforce its own rules about dangerous organizations using its platforms. After retreating from public spaces in the wake of the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, WIRED reported that the traditional militia movement began rebuilding on Facebook, in many cases flagrantly violating bans against specific organizations. Meta did not respond to requests for comment. Another advantage of Instagram for groups or accounts seeking to grow their influence is the ability to promote associated branded content. One brand that's particularly active in this community and regularly comments on posts is Kill Evil, an apparel store hosted by Shopify, with almost 30,000 followers on their verified Instagram account. (Shopify did not respond to a request for comment.) 'KILL EVIL® is for those who believe in the fight against evil,' reads their mission statement. 'It embodies the preservation of Christian values, rejection of degeneracy and resistance to the enemies of Christ.' Militia groups will seek to boost visibility by wearing Kill Evil apparel in photographs or videos of training sessions, and then tag the company in their posts. Kill Evil launched early last year, with a video of a man wearing a balaclava and carrying a baseball bat, with the tag 'apparel for the revolutionary.' They've recently touted their 'Holy Warfare Collection,' which includes t-shirts featuring classical renderings of Biblical figures, including of Saint Michael the Archangel, along with the prayer, 'Defend us in battle, Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.' Their linked Spotify playlist is full of tracks such as 'CHRIST IS KING' by Christian metal band Impending Doom, 'Kill em' All' by a Russian techno group, and 'Deprogam' by MAGA Rapper Bryson Gray. Kill Evil tells WIRED that they dispute the idea that they were engaging with any paramilitary movement on Instagram. 'I'm an apparel company that follows Jesus Christ and values the 2nd amendment upon which our country was founded upon,' a representative of Kill Evil wrote in an email. Similarly, a Minnesota-based militia-style group links itself directly to a company that sells, among other things, a long-range encrypted radio 'designed for off-grid communication,' and 'mission ready end user devices'—which are just regular smartphones that they pre-configure with apps. There's also the suggestively named 'Bloodline Apparel Co,' which has sold clothes and promotes them through images, for example, of heavily armed men with captions like 'this fit is sponsored by 9 failed relationships and 14 YouTube rabbit holes.' (Bloodline Apparel Co did not respond to a request for comment.) Many of these Christian nationalist militia groups also call themselves 'guerillas' as opposed to militias, implying that their 'enemy' is the government rather than civilian population. While Jon Lewis, a research fellow at the program on extremism at George Washington University, is alarmed by the brandification of overtly accelerationist or Christian nationalist content on Instagram, he's skeptical that the armed groups pose a genuine threat. 'They do their off-the-grid guerilla training, they shoot their video for their Instagram account, and then they go back to their mom's basement,' he said. 'I'm not sure how many of these 16-year-olds are really prepared for a real guerilla warfare campaign against the US military.' This new movement of Christian nationalist militias online sits at a growing crossover between gun culture and Christian nationalism, a union perhaps best exemplified by the popularity of Christian 'guntuber' Lucas Botkin and the company he founded, 'T-Rex Arms.' In this Venn diagram of subcultures, culture war rhetoric is paired with exhortations to take up arms to protect Christian and traditional family values. 'The guns help push the religion, and the religion helps push the guns,' says Lewis. 'You get these networks that are steeped in that kind of rhetoric, and when you combine that with offline mobilization and weapons training, it doesn't really bode well.' Instagram is already home to a sprawling and well-established community of gun enthusiasts, tactical gear brands, and firearms influencers, and abounds with potential recruitment opportunities for this emergent paramilitary movement. It's not uncommon for groups of firearms enthusiasts to gather in the woods on the weekends to engage in airsoft training or hunting. What sets this movement apart from more legitimate 'sports' organizations is their emphasis on recruitment and the fact they conceal their faces in imagery, says Paul. 'And then there's the explicit Christian ideology they're trying to push.' (WIRED attempted to contact several accounts in this ecosystem; some initially agreed to be interviewed, before growing suspicious that this reporter was 'a fed.') It's not exactly clear what this new crop of Bible-thumping paramilitary extremists thinks they're preparing or fighting for, given that President Donald Trump took office in January and stacked his administration with Christian nationalists. Since the emergence of the modern militia movement in the late 1980s, paramilitary activity has typically waxed and waned according to whichever political party was in power. Higher levels of paramilitary activity were generally observed during Democratic administrations, as movement leaders could rabble rouse and recruit around perceptions of an overreaching government or looming gun control, as well as conspiracy theories about a coming 'New World Order.' (To that end, Kill Evil sells a t-shirt emblazoned with the slogan 'Christ World Order.') That pattern broke during the first Trump Administration, as militia activity surged, galvanized by the mainstreaming of conspiracy theories and anti-government sentiment. Groups within this new guard make their political views known through the type of content they share to Instagram Stories, which delete after 24 hours: for example, screenshots of posts by white nationalist Jared Taylor about immigration, posts about declining birth rates, or anti-Muslim memes. As for their broader mission, these militant influencers are generally preparing for 'end times,' they tend to say, though it's not always clear what that means. Some take an accelerationist approach, preparing for a conflict that they see as an inevitable response to 'degeneracy' and political decay. 'There is no more political solution,' one account posted in July, along with a photograph of a Roman bust portraying the Greek god of war, Ares, in Tivoli, Italy. 'Some hills are worth dying on, if not for yourself, for your children.' For others, the mission may be more about a primordial battle between good and evil, and coming 'armageddon.' 'If you don't train, you'll die,' one account posted, along with a photograph of a man in a skull mask and a long gun. 'Get together with friends, family, or do it alone. Whatever you gotta do, make sure that YOU aren't a liability.'
21 hours ago
Man throws sandwich at Border Patrol officer in DC, faces federal assault charges
A Washington, D.C., man is charged with assaulting a federal officer after they say he threw a sandwich at a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent during a confrontation this week, according to court documents. Sean Charles Dunn faces federal charges for allegedly throwing a sub-style sandwich at a CBP officer who was patrolling with Metro Transit Police in Northwest Washington around 11 p.m. on Sunday. According to the criminal complaint, Dunn approached the officer while shouting "f--- you! You f------ fascists! Why are you here? I don't want you in my city!" After several minutes of confrontation, Dunn threw the sandwich, striking the officer in the chest, the complaint says. The alleged incident was apparently captured in a video posted to Instagram. Authorities say that after attempting to flee, Dunn was apprehended and later admitted to the incident while being processed at the police station, allegedly telling an officer, "I did it. I threw the sandwich." The incident comes amid heightened tensions over federal law enforcement presence in the District. President Donald Trump recently announced plans to deploy National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., declaring a public safety emergency and putting the Metropolitan Police Department under partial federal oversight for 30 days. District Council member Brooke Pinto, who chairs the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, expressed concern about the increased federal presence. "It paints a picture of a city that is not my own and is not the experience of the vast majority of District residents and visitors," Pinto told ABC News. While Trump has cited rising crime as justification for federal intervention, police statistics show violent crime has actually decreased. 'Violent crime in DC reached historic 30-year lows last year, and is down another 26% so far this year,' DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb said on X. The president maintains his stance, saying Wednesday, "Fighting crime is a good thing... Instead of saying 'He's a dictator,' they should say, 'We're going to join him and make Washington safe.'" Dunn has not yet entered a plea, and court records show no attorney listed for his defense.
