OCALA, Fla. — A Florida high school football coach is behind bars Sunday after Ocala Police Department investigators said he had an inappropriate sexual encounter with a 16-year-old student.

According to police, 43-year-old James Edward Ford III was arrested on several felony charges after investigators said he met up with the student for a sexual encounter in his vehicle in September, 2024, when he was the assistant football coach at West Port High School.

Detectives said they interviewed the student, who told them she and Ford started exchanging texts in January, 2024. Detectives said they began meeting outside of school in August, 2024, and started kissing, including once in the school’s locker room. This led to the sexual encounter in September, according to police.

Ford was arrested on Jan. 17. 

“This sort of behavior is unacceptable, especially for a person in an authority position over children,” Ocala Police said in a statement. “We ask if anyone else has experienced similar behavior to please let law enforcement know.”

Ford faces several felony charges, including unlawful sexual activity with certain minors, offenses against students by authority figures, and travel to meet a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity.