Andre Ricardo Williams, a 32-year old Dean at St. Cloud Preparatory Academy, was arrested and charged on September 14, 2021, with soliciting and engaging in lewd contact with an 18-year-old student as an authority figure. St. Cloud Prep is a K-12 private school located at 3101 Progress Lane, St, Cloud, FL 34772.
According to media reports, Williams admitted to St. Cloud Police to having sex with the teen more than once over the last two weeks and that he also texted explicit photos of his own genitals to the student. The Academy released a statement on its Facebook page stating that Williams has been terminated from St. Cloud Preparatory Academy. The school also removed Andre Ricardo Williams from its website.
John D'Amico, the school's executive director, stated, "There has been an incident at the school involving our dean who has been arrested for solicitation of sexual engagement with a student. This student has been identified, and the parents have been notified and made aware of the situation. We take the health and safety of our students very seriously, and we will continue to ensure that we take all appropriate measures to protect our students. The employee is no longer employed with SCPA. While this is still considered a current investigation and I'm unable to share any future details, please feel free to reach out to me if you have any further concerns."
Andre Ricardo Williams is being held on a $5,000 bond in the Osceola County Jail and the investigation is ongoing.
Schools are educational institutions in which children can learn and develop skills in a nurturing environment. It is expected that they are safe from violence, bullying, harassment, and sexual abuse. Teachers are entrusted to facilitate learning and support the educational needs of their students. Someone who sexually violates young children has no place working in the school system. Any school in which such a crime is committed must take responsibility for failing to properly screen potential teachers and protect their students.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse in schools and other educational settings. If you or a loved one was sexually abused, raped, or sexually molested by a principal, teacher, or other school employees, contact our law firm at 888-283-9922 or send an e-mail to sexual abuse lawyer Adam Horowitz at adam@adamhorowitzlaw.com for a free consultation.