Kicked out of college: Woman at center of Domino's video is asked to leave Wilkes college over sex-offender law

Monday was the last day of Kristy Hammonds' college career.

Hammonds, 31, of Taylorsville, gained international notoriety in April when the gross-out video she and co-worker Michael Anthony Setzer, 32, of Conover, made of themselves joking and ruining food while at work at the Conover Domino's Pizza location found a massive audience on the Internet site YouTube.com.

On Monday, Hammonds was called out of her psychology class at Wilkes Community College by campus security and informed that she could no longer attend classes because she is a registered sex offender.

A press release issued by the college explains the decision to remove Hammonds and other registered sex offenders enrolled at the college was made in order to comply with the state law known as the Jessica Lunsford Act.

"Local law enforcement officials determined which individuals were in violation and notified them.
Those affected students have withdrawn and have received a full refund from the college," the release says.

The law states that anyone required to register as a sex offender may not knowingly be on the grounds of any place where minors are cared for or gather for regularly scheduled educational programs.

"WCC is host to the Wilkes Early College High School, dually enrolled high school students, routinely scheduled shows for school-age children, college days, career days, etc., and has a public playground, all of which are intended to serve minors," according to the release.

Hammonds said she was looking at the 100 percent grade she'd just gotten on her test when she received a phone call asking her to leave class and meet with campus security officers and school officials who explained the law to her and asked her to leave the campus.

Hammonds said the college met with her to ensure she knew about the law and its consequences.
"They did this to protect me and help me out," she said.

She explained her conviction for misdemeanor sexual battery came as a result of a sexual relationship she'd had with a girl who had told her she was 19 years old, but was actually 14 at the time.

Hammonds said she turned herself in for the charge in March 2007, and was given two years probation.
Hammonds, a mother of two young daughters, said she is halfway to a degree that would allow her to become a certified medical assistant.

She said she'd been fired after turning herself in to face felony food tampering charges in connection to the gross-out video. She has said the videos were a prank, and is working to start over.

"I was doing everything I could to get my life back on track," Hammonds said. "I had a good GPA — I had everything going for me."

Hammonds' music instructor Fred McCall said, "When I had her in class, she made super-good grades."

Hammonds said she's spoken to her lawyer and she's considering a lawsuit against the state.

"They're denying me my right to an education," Hammonds said. "I'm never going to give up — I'm going to fight."

The Jessica Lunsford Act became effective Dec. 1, 2008, and, "As the college became aware of the law, WCC officials consulted with general counsel of N.C. Community College System to determine the most appropriate response," stated the Wilkes press release. "The matter was then referred to local law enforcement, as is the case with any possible criminal violation. Local law enforcement officials determined which individuals were in violation and notified them. The matter was then referred to local law enforcement, as is the case with any possible criminal violation. Local law enforcement officials determined which individuals were in violation and notified them."

Hammonds is scheduled to appear in Catawba County Superior Court on distributing tainted food charges Tuesday.