An assistant football coach at an Ocala high school was arrested on multiple felony charges after he was accused of engaging in sexual activity with a 16-year-old female student.
On Thursday, January 16, a school resource officer at West Port High School informed the Ocala Police Department of “inappropriate contact” that had allegedly occurred between a student and assistant football coach James Ford III, according to the arrest report.
The student had told the school resource officer that Ford had been “touchy” with her, adding that there were “other little but major things” that he had allegedly done. West Port High officials informed Ford of the allegations and advised him not to return to the school, according to the report.
On Friday, January 17, 2025, an OPD officer interviewed the student. She advised that Ford had asked her to “be his Valentine,” which led to the two of them talking over the phone and via text messages in January of 2024.
Beginning in August of 2024, the student stated that she began to see Ford outside of school. They would allegedly “meet up for food” at local restaurants, and the student alleged that Ford would “kiss her on the lips,” according to the report.
The student further alleged that Ford also kissed her one day inside the locker room at school.
In addition, the student alleged that she had a sexual encounter with Ford inside his vehicle in September of 2024. At the time of this alleged encounter, the student was 16 years old.
According to the student’s statements, Ford called her on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, and told her that “someone had said something to school staff.” He then allegedly instructed her to delete all their text messages, though the report stated that the messages were still on her cellphone when she spoke with law enforcement.
In the report, an officer noted that the messages between Ford and the student initially appeared to be “sports related.” As the months progressed, the messages from Ford became “more frequent” and “ultimately turn(ed) romantic/sexual in nature.”
Marion County Public Schools confirmed that Ford began working as an assistant football coach at West Port High in 2022.
An investigation into the allegations against Ford ultimately led to his arrest on Friday, January 17, 2025. He was transported to Marion County Jail, where he is currently being held, and he is facing the following charges: unlawful sexual activity with a minor, offenses against a student by an authority figure, traveling to meet a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity, and using of a two-way communication device to facility felony.
“This sort of behavior is unacceptable, especially for a person in an authority position over children,” said OPD in a media release on Sunday, January 19. “We ask if anyone else has experienced similar behavior to please let law enforcement know.”