[IMAGE CREDIT: Lake County Sheriff’s Office]
[Original Publish Date: 01/30/20]
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TAVARES, Florida — More details have been released in the case against the former teacher accused of having sex with a student who went to school where he used to teach.
William Benjamin Rutledge III stands accused of having sex with a former student at Umatilla High School, whom he met when he was teaching math there in 2019. He denies the pair ever had sex.
The alleged months-long inappropriate relationship between the pair began in May 2019 when Rutledge gave the 16-year-old girl his personal cell phone number, Tavares Police Sgt. Sarah Coursey told Lake Legal News earlier this week. The girl told police the relationship was consensual.
The victim — who suffers from several mental health conditions — was ordered to attend some sort of program (the program and name of the facility are redacted in the probable cause affidavit) in Orlando in September 2019. On January 5, two girls in her group were rewarded for fulfilling a contract, but the victim failed to fulfill her obligations. When she was not rewarded she began cursing at a staff member, and that staff member happened to be Rutledge’s girlfriend and the mother of his child.
The following day the victim was in a verbal altercation and said, “I’m gonna start shaking up some families around here, since y’all [expletive] think y’all so perfect.” Immediately after this incident the victim went to see her therapist and said she thought the staff member was treating her “unfairly” because “she knew who she was” and the victim then disclosed the alleged sexual relationship with Rutledge. A report was made to Orange County Department of Children and Families, following the allegations.
On January 7, Rutledge abruptly resigned from his position at Oak Park Middle School by email.
The victim told police she met Rutledge when she was new to Umatilla High School and they “hit it off.” Rutledge allegedly gave the girl his number and they began texting on a regular basis. She texted him a nude photo of herself, but Rutledge did not send her any photos, according to the affidavit. On May 1, 2019, Rutledge allegedly picked the victim up after school in his black Ford Mustang and drove her directly to his house in Tavares where they had sex twice. Rutledge told the girl to never tell anyone about the incident, according to the affidavit.
The girl told police they had plans to meet in North Florida, where she now lives, but he never came. She also provided police with screenshots from her Facebook Messenger account; one message from Rutledge to the girl states, “I would rather see the dancing in person. No need to send videos or pictures. Keep those things sacred. You are a queen and that should only be shown to the privileged when you are of age. All love.” The girl reportedly responded, “You must of just wanted a one night stand cause you wasn’t saying that when we was [expletive.] I don’t understand why you scared when I’m outta town.”
The girl provided a statement desiring that Rutledge not be prosecuted, but her case manager, “is forwarding an intent to prosecute form” on behalf of the victim, the affidavit states. The victim told police Rutledge “took advantage” of her “young age” but fears pressing charges because he knows where she lives in North Florida and owns a gun.
Rutledge was charged with sexual battery on a child over 12. He was released from the Lake County Jail on $10,000 bond.
[ Read our original story: https://www.lakelegalnews.com/article/former-lake-teacher-arrested-for-sexual-battery-16-year-old-student-tells-police-it-was-consensual/ ]
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Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. Born and raised in Lake County, she is a graduate of Umatilla High School and Lake-Sumter State College. She started her journalism career at LSSC, where she was editor of both student publications, The Angler and The Odyssey. Her professional career began at the Daily Commercial in 2004 where she covered cops and courts the majority of her time there until she left in 2009. Currently, along with being Editor-in-Chief of Lake Legal News, she is the Florida bureau chief for an international media organization. She has made more than two dozen appearances on live national television, including Nancy Grace and the Greta Van Susteren show, along with her appearance on Evil Twins. Contact her with breaking news, tips, and feedback by sending an e-mail to 352Tips@gmail.com. You can also contact us on our Facebook page — and make sure you “Like” and “Follow us” there. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
