A former flag football coach at Miami (Fla.) Northwestern High School was arrested for allegedly physically assaulting a student.
According to the local NBC affiliate, Tyresse Leonard Jones, 36, was arrested Wednesday on charges of offenses against students by authority figures, child abuse with no great bodily harm and battery.
According to a police report, an investigation was launched after a teen came forward alleging that Jones, her former flag football coach, had initiated interaction and communication with the girl though Instagram. The communication proceeded to involve phone messages, which the girl said at first were "friendly and cool."
The girl said that Jones would excuse her from classes after she had finished her work. He later began asking her to meet him in the locker room," but the girl declined the invitations, which is when Jones got physical, grabbing the front of her jacket in the chest area with both hands, pinning her to the wall against her will and telling her to "stop playing with him."
Jones then began sending the girl explicit messages, also telling her he would give her money to have her har and nails done in exchange for sex.
Jones, who had already been removed from Miami Northwestern, was arrested at JC Bermudez Senior High School where he had been reassigned away from students.
In a statement Wednesday, Miami-Dade County Public Schools officials said they were aware of the arrest.
"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. "The District has initiated employment termination proceedings and will ensure the individual is precluded from seeking future employment with the District."
