IFN Staff

A former Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education member was arrested Friday and charged with two felonies after being indicted by an Iredell County grand jury.

Max Ralston James Jr., 63, of Tabor Road, Olin, is charged with felony attempted felony obstruction of justice and felony conspiracy.

District Attorney Sarah Kirkman confirmed the charges late Friday afternoon, but declined to comment further because it is a pending case.

The N.C. State Bureau of Investigation investigated the case involving James and a special agent presented evidence to the grand jury, which found probable cause for his arrest and returned the indictment.

James was arrested Friday and processed at the Iredell County Detention Center. He was released after posting an $8,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in Iredell County Superior Court on December 15, 2025.

James was elected to represent District 1 on the I-SS Board in 2014, when he defeated Robert Clontz by 23 votes.

Running as a Democrat in 2018, after the N.C. General Assembly passed a law making the district’s school board races partisan contests, James lost his seat to Republican Ken Poindexter.

James launched an unsuccessful bid as a write-in candidate for the District 1 seat in 2022, when Brian Sloan was elected.