Tampa Bay Technical High School coach Reginald Lawrence will now face more charges of Battery and Exposure of Sexual Organ as new victims have come forward after the man’s initial arrest, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office stated.
Lawrence, 48, a girls’ varsity basketball coach at Tampa Bay Tech was arrested Tuesday and charged with six counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor four years ago.
Officials explained the sexual misconduct and relations occurred six times at Lawrence’s home in 2016, when the alleged victim was a student at the school. She has since graduated.
Deputies were able to obtain a warrant for Lawrence’s arrest on Tuesday.
Lawrence was booked at the Orient Road Jail, where he is being held on a $90,000 bond.
“He’s been a teacher, very well respected. Apparently he’s very successful as a basketball coach at Tampa Tech. He’s loved by most of his students. He’s dumbfounded by this,” said the suspect’s attorney, Frank DelaGrana, at the bond hearing.
A Hillsborough County judge set bond at $50,000 after that hearing.
An arrest warrant shows that Lawrence admitted to the sexual encounters during a phone call with investigators listening in.
“There was a controlled phone call, but I don’t think that phone call leads to much. My client never admitted to anything in that call, because he never did anything,” DelaGrana said.
Now another victim has come forward.
In 2009, the victim says Lawrence called him/her into his office and closed the door behind the victim. The victim says Lawrence pulled down his pants and exposed his sexual organs, and then placed the victim’s hand on top.
The victim was a Tampa Bay Tech student during the incident in 2009.
“We are shocked and deeply troubled by these charges. Our parents expected this individual to protect their children and he broke that trust. He will not be returning to our campus and is on administrative leave pending termination,” Hillsborough County School District spokeswoman said in a statement.
If you have information or are potentially another victim of Lawrence’s, you’re asked to call the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office at (813) 247-8200.
Full HCSO Press Release:
Another victim has come forward in the case against Reginald Lawrence, a Tampa Bay Technical High School coach who was charged with six counts of Unlawful Sexual Activity with a Minor earlier this week.
In 2009, the victim says Lawrence called him/her into his office and closed the door behind the victim. The victim says Lawrence pulled down his pants and exposed his sexual organs, and then placed the victim’s hand on top.
The victim was a Tampa Bay Tech student during the incident in 2009.
In addition to the six charges of Unlawful Sexual Activity with a Minor, Lawrence is now charged with Battery and Exposure of Sexual Organ.
If you have information or are potentially another victim of Lawrence’s, you’re asked to call the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office at (813) 247-8200.
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