Honk News (Ocala, FL) – A high school football coach in Florida is in custody following an investigation by the Ocala Police Department, which revealed he engaged in an inappropriate sexual encounter with a 16-year-old student.
Authorities report that 43-year-old James Edward Ford III has been taken into custody on multiple felony charges. Investigators allege that he engaged in a sexual encounter with a student in his vehicle in September 2024, during his tenure as the assistant football coach at West Port High School.
Investigators reported that they spoke with the student, who revealed that she and Ford began their text exchanges in January 2024. Authorities reported that they initiated meetings away from school in August 2024, and shared intimate moments, including an incident in the locker room. According to police, this resulted in the intimate meeting that took place in September.
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On January 17, Ford was taken into custody.
“This sort of behavior is unacceptable, especially for a person in an authority position over children,” Ocala Police said in a statement. “We ask if anyone else has experienced similar behavior to please let law enforcement know.”
Ford is confronted with multiple serious allegations, including engaging in illegal sexual conduct with specific minors, misconduct by authority figures towards students, and traveling to meet a minor for the purpose of unlawful sexual engagement.