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High school coach accused of having sex with student
The Hillsborough teacher is being held at a Tampa jail.
By ANDREW MEACHAM and LETITIA STEIN, Times Staff Writer
Published February 1, 2008
TAMPA - A Newsome High School soccer coach was arrested Thursday night on seven counts of unlawful sex with a 17-year-old girl.
Hillsborough sheriff's deputies arrested Ronald Lewis, 37, after investigating reports that he had multiple sexual encounters with the teenager between February and November 2007.
Authorities did not say how Lewis and the teen met. When asked if the girl was a student at Newsome, school district spokesman Stephen Hegarty said, "That's my understanding."
According to the Sheriff's Office, Lewis in January admitted the affair to a juvenile witness, saying he and the 17-year-old had been having a sexual relationship since February 2007. She is now 18.
The trysts occurred in Lewis' Valrico home at 1505 Crooked Stick Drive, and also in his Jeep Wrangler, officials say. The teen also acknowledged the relationship to investigators.
Lewis was arrested at his home and taken to the Orient Road Jail, where he was being held late Thursday in lieu of $52,500 bail.
Lewis, a computer lab manager and coach who has worked at the east Hillsborough school since August, was removed from a classroom Wednesday - the same day an assistant principal received a tip from a parent claiming that Lewis had engaged in an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student.
He is suspended with pay pending the outcome of an investigation.
Lewis was not the only teacher to run afoul of authorities Thursday. At South Tampa's Plant High, physics teacher Christopher Gillis, 22, was removed from the school following allegations that he sent inappropriate e-mails to a female student.
Gillis, who began teaching with the school system in August, was pulled from the Plant classroom on Thursday so district officials could investigate.
Letitia Stein can be reached at lstein@sptimes.com or 813 226-3400.
[Last modified January 31, 2008, 23:59:48]
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by leroy
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02/21/08 05:54 PM
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its kind of ironic that the teacher is supposed to be looking out for her well being and she's taking care of his well being
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by Nerissa
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02/08/08 02:33 PM
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I am the sister-in-law of Christopher Gills and I can assure you, he had no part or any foul whatsoever with this student. To even think the slightest ill of him is ridiculous. He is a fine upstanding individual. Prov:
ò01CA liar freely gives her oath."
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by vanessa
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02/01/08 10:27 PM
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i believe its okay to have sex with a student as long as it wasnt on school ground. if they wanna do that then thats THEM its none of anybody alse's god damn business!
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by Ash
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02/01/08 08:26 PM
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Ok P: NO he does NOT deserve prison time! He has NOTTT been chargerd with ANYTHING yet! only thing that has been said is that the girl (keyword) CLAIMS he sent her inappropiate emails.... yet there are reasons 2 believe that shes not being honest....
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by Paul
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02/01/08 04:10 PM
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Male teacher has sex with female student = Years in jail. Female teacher has sex with male student = Probation. Yep - that seems fair to me. What a great legal system we have.
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by Mimi
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02/01/08 02:40 PM
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Teachers arenot suppose to flirt,seduce or have sex with their students.Teach college its a free for all and it could help your grade.
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by Brittany
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02/01/08 11:50 AM
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BRITT, He was a TEACHER! She is a CHILD. He is supposed to be looking out for the wellbeing of one of his STUDENTS. This is wrong, not matter the age. Teachers have NO reason to have sexual relationships with their students!
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by Joel
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02/01/08 11:00 AM
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part #3
This causes other people to make assumptions.
This is defamation of character
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by Joel
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02/01/08 10:59 AM
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As Chris's roommate this statement irritates me
"Lewis was not the only teacher to run afoul of authorities Thursday."
You have no proof that he ran afoul. Its an accusation by a girl and nothing else.
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by connie
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02/01/08 10:44 AM
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Sorry BRITT: The difference between a 22 year old on the outside and in the classroom is the issue here.
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by Jessica
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02/01/08 10:38 AM
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Britt - read again; The 37 yr old was have relations with the 17 yr old. No indication as to the age of the female that Gillis was sleeping with.
Regardless -- why is this a recurring problem?? Why dont our educators understand the lines
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by Kim
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02/01/08 10:03 AM
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The 22 year old is accused of sending harrassing emails that disturbed the student, not dating her.
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by Britt
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02/01/08 07:27 AM
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I'm sorry, but thats crazy if the 22-year old gets in trouble, especially if the girl is like 17. That is a normal age gap in high school, I feel bad for that guy...
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by P
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02/01/08 01:43 AM
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Probation? Oh, sorry, he's a guy. Years in prison instead!
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