Florida High School Track Coach Accused of Raping 16-Year-Old Student: Sheriff

A high school track coach in Florida who knew he was HIV-positive has been arrested after he allegedly raped a 16-year-old student, according to authorities.

On Aug. 28, a student at Lakeland High School reportedly told a school resource officer that 40-year-old Jarvis Young inappropriately touched him, WKMG reported.

Jarvis reportedly gave the victim sports equipment and lunch before massaging and sexually assaulting the boy, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.

Judd alleged, “He, by his statements, admitted that he was HIV-positive. Did you hear what I said? I didn’t stutter. He tried to and briefly had sex with a child knowing he was HIV-positive.”

In 2011, Young was arrested for conspiracy to commit sexual battery on a juvenile for bringing children to a motel, WKMG reported.

That case was dropped due to the statute of limitations, officials said.

In 2017, Young allegedly grabbed a boy’s leg in a car, which resulted in him being charged with battery. Those charges were also dropped after the victim’s family stopped cooperating with the investigation, authorities said.

Now Young is being charged with sexual battery by a custodian on a victim between 12 and 18, lewd and lascivious conduct by a person 24 or older on a victim 16 or 17, abuse of a child without bodily harm, interfering with the custody of a minor, and having sex without informing a partner of HIV infection, according to officials.

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“The rumors were, around coach Jarvis Young, ‘Hey, he’ll give you stuff, but don’t let him touch you.’ Did you hear that? The kids that knew him from sports said, ‘He’ll give you stuff, but don’t let him touch you,’” Judd claimed. “That tells us one thing clearly. He has battered, possibly sexually battered, inappropriately touched other kids, for that rumor to spread among them.”

An investigation was launched by Polk County Public Schools on how Young was hired as a coach despite his prior arrests for crimes against children, The Ledger reported. School officials also stated Young no longer works for the district.