A Pembroke Pines charter school teacher and junior varsity football coach was accused of inappropriately texting and soliciting a student, police said.
Pembroke Pines police said Leverick Ladarius Johnson, who works at Somerset Academy, Chapel Trail Campus, "took interest" in a 13-year-old female student and asked for her social media information and phone number.
Between mid-September until October, police said 26-year-old Johnson inappropriately communicated with the victim through text messaging. He asked for photos, asked about her level of sexual experience, and told her they should smoke marijuana together, according to police.
Johnson also told the victim that they should "keep their relationship a secret," police said. He also asked her to meet him in an area on campus, where CCTV cameras could not reach, to perform fellatio on him. The victim told police she did not engage in any sexual acts with him.
Johnson was arrested Tuesday and faces charges of solicitation, sexual battery act by a custodian, cruelty towards a child and obscene communication with a child, police said. Attorney information was not available.
"Yesterday, our School Resource Officer learned of allegations of inappropriate communications from a substitute/assistant football coach to a student," school officials said in a letter to addressed to parents. "The school took immediate action and gathered the necessary information to prevent student harm. The individual is in police custody and will not be returning to our school."
Our students' safety and well-being is our paramount concern. We investigate allegations aggressively and appropriately and in cooperation with local authorities."
Anyone who believes their child may have had inappropriate contact with the suspect should call the Pembroke Pines Police Department at 954-431-2200.