A Florida teacher is accused of kissing a male student for about six minutes and groping him — then on another occasion unzipping the victim’s pants and performing a sex act on him.
According to an arrest report WPLG-TV obtained Monday, Leroy Wright Jr., 46, of Miami was arrested last week on charges of offenses against students by authority figures, unlawful sexual activity with a minor, and depiction of obscene material involving a minor.
‘He is too educated for that. No. Not my friend.’
Police said someone emailed the principal of Miami Jackson Senior High School on April 28 saying that Wright — a reading teacher at the school — was “having a relationship” with a student, WPLG reported.
The principal on Thursday submitted a “personnel investigative model report” to the Miami-Dade County Public Schools Office of Professional Standards, and the report was subsequently submitted to the Miami-Dade Schools Police Department, the station said.
Police on Thursday interviewed the person who emailed the principal, and that person identified the victim to them, WPLG said.
Police said they interviewed the victim at his home in the presence of his mother, and the student said he first met Wright at the beginning of the school year when Wright asked him to join the Freshman Club, for which Wright was the adult sponsor, the station said. Police said the student joined the club, WPLG added.
The victim claimed the first sexual incident occurred April 29 when he hugged Wright as he was exiting Wright’s classroom, the station said.
Police said the student claimed Wright hugged him back and then kissed him for about six minutes while groping him, WPLG reported.
On May 1, Wright again kissed the student and groped him, the station said, citing authorities.
WTVJ-TV reported that the victim said he was in Wright’s car three days later, and while they were stuck in traffic, Wright unzipped the victim’s pants and performed a sexual act.
Police said Wright was informed prior to his arrest that the victim’s cell phone had been “forensically examined,” WPLG reported.
Wright was booked into jail Friday and remained there Wednesday morning, jail records indicate.
WPLG said Wright will appear before a judge Wednesday.
RELATED: Former teacher, 26, accused of having sex with 16-year-old male student
One neighbor told WPLG she couldn’t believe the charges against Wright, who holds a PhD: “He is too educated for that. No. Not my friend.”
The school district released a statement over the weekend, WPLG reported, adding that the statement confirmed Wright would be fired.
“The type of behavior this individual is accused of will not be tolerated, as it runs contrary to the professional conduct we expect from all employees,” the statement read, according to WPLG. “The district has initiated employment termination proceedings and will ensure the individual is precluded from seeking future employment with the district. At M-DCPS, the safety and well-being of all students remain our top priority.”
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Read the full article here
