An assistant football coach at West Port (Fla.) High School was arrested on Friday after he was accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student.
According to WESH2, Edward Ford III has been charged with “unlawful sexual activity with a minor, offenses against students by an authority figure, traveling to meet with a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity and use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony.”
The school resource officer was alerted to the incident by the student who told police that she was only 16 when she and Ford began talking on the phone and texting. The two had an encounter in the school locker room. Later, she reported that they began meeting outside of school in September 2024.
West Port High School has fired Ford, and the school district confirmed that he is not allowed on school property.
The Ocala police told First Coast News, “This sort of behavior is unacceptable, especially for a person in an authority position over children. We ask if anyone else has experienced similar behavior to please let law enforcement know."
Ford was released from jail on bond. Dates of future court cases have not been included in reporting.
