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Former JSO Corrections Officer, Westside High Football Coach Arrested

Lindsey Kilbride
/
WJCT News

On Friday the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office arrested one of its own.

Clarence Thomas, a 24-four-year-old JSO Corrections Officer, was arrested Friday and charged with one count of sexual activity with a minor.

Thomas was a part-time football coach at Westside High School at the time of an alleged sexual relationship with a student.

Jacksonville Undersheriff Pat Ivey says the 17-year-old victim gave her side of the story on Thursday.

“The break in the case is you had a statement given by the victim that was deemed to be credible that was vetted through the state attorney’s office through a sworn statement,” Ivey said.

Back in April, the Duval County School Board Police Department launched an investigation. The school district’s report says Thomas admitted to having sex with a female student approximately 20 times. Thomas was fired from his coaching position back in May.

Ivey says Thomas worked as a JSO corrections officer for just over four years.

“Words can’t describe it,” Ivey said. “If you’ve lived this job long enough, which I have for over 20 years, you’re saddened because it’s a reality that this does happen. You just wish it wouldn’t.”

Florida law says the age of consent for sexual relations is 18. But a so-called “Romeo and Juliet” provision says 16- or 17-year-olds can consent as long as their partner is 23 or younger. Thomas was 24 at the time of the alleged relationship.

Two other Westside High School employees, a former dean and teacher, are also being investigated for allegedly having sex with students, but no arrests have been made in those cases.

Lindsey Kilbride was WJCT's special projects producer until Aug. 28, 2020. She reported, hosted and produced podcasts like Odd Ball, for which she was honored with a statewide award from the Associated Press, as well as What It's Like. She also produced VOIDCAST, hosted by Void magazine's Matt Shaw, and the ADAPT podcast, hosted by WJCT's Brendan Rivers.