LAKELAND, Fla. — A Lakeland High School track coach has been arrested after accusations were made of sexual misconduct with a 16-year-old boy.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Jarvis Young, 40, was arrested on charges including sexual battery by custodian/victim between 12-18, lewd and lascivious behavior by a 24-year-old or older with a victim between 16-17, and other charges.
The Sheriff's Office said the investigation began on August 28 after the victim, who is a student at the school, told a school resource deputy about what happened. The victim in the case told investigators Young was allegedly giving him a massage, moved his shorts, and tried to commit a sex act on him. The victim said he stopped Young.
Young has a history with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
In 2011, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said Young faced charges after being one of two people accused of picking up two juveniles they were mentoring and taking them to another city where the victims were sexually battered. The charges were later no-billed due to the statute of limitations.
"We have a rule of law. We have to respect that, but there was an arrest record on him, so before he was allowed to be a paid coach, he was not a school teacher. He was just a paid coach. That's all he did. Before he was allowed to do that, what kind of background did they complete at the school?" said Sheriff Grady Judd. "That's a lot of questions and the questions that the superintendent has right now."
Polk County Public Schools Superintendent Fred Heid said the school system will be investigating how Young was allowed to become a coach for Lakeland High School.
“Our students and families should expect to be safe in the presence of school employees and coaches,” Superintendent Heid said. "The allegations against Jarvis Young are deeply disturbing. Although he was never convicted of any past incidents, I am extremely troubled that he was involved with our school system in any capacity."
The school district said Young no longer has any involvement with Polk County Schools. It said he became a volunteer coach in December 2020.
"We also will be pulling a list and re-screening coaches who work with PCPS students, as well as other individuals who work with students in extracurricular programs," said the Superintendent. "Furthermore, we intend to increase the frequency of our background checks and add extra measures to evaluate any past reports of inappropriate behavior."
Detectives with the Polk County Sheriff's Office believe there's a possibility that there are additional victims who have not yet come forward and urge them to contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Office at 863-298-6200.
"My message to the students is we're going to believe you, and we're going to protect you, and we're going to make sure you have any counseling or infrastructure for support that you need, but you can't allow this bad man to hurt anybody else, emotionally, physically," said Sheriff Judd. "You've got to help us."
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