HAINES CITY, Fla. – A recently resigned Haines City High School teacher and basketball coach was arrested Tuesday night for sexually engaging with a student on multiple occasions.
Wayne McKenzie Ricks II, 29, was arrested in Osceola County on 10 counts of custodial sexual battery on a victim between the ages of 12 and 18.
Ricks and the student had engaged in sexual activity dating back to at least fall, including on-campus at Haines City High School.
At school, Ricks would have the victim come to his classroom while he was alone and the two would have intercourse in a closet. Another student and friend of the victim would be present in the classroom at the time and recalled observing the two walk into the closet to have sex on about 10 occasions.
Ricks would text the victim during school hours to come to his classroom and authorized passes for the victim to leave class. Ricks and the victim also spent time together off-campus dating back to at least October.
Throughout the investigation, detectives were able to obtain video of what appeared to be Ricks and the victim kissing inside the classroom. The victim told detectives that sexual contact also took place inside of Ricks’ vehicle.
A video was obtained that showed the two together at Universal Studios during Halloween Horror Nights in October. Witnesses also observed the two together at a youth basketball game in Sebring earlier this month. In addition to texts, Ricks had contact with the victim via social media and provided more than 20 handwritten notes detailing their relationship. They were signed by Ricks under an alias.
More than 80 phone calls were made between the two in less than a one-month span from December to January. Of those, more than 30 were made outside of school hours, including calls that ended well after midnight. Ricks also provided the victim with gifts to include shoes, clothes and exercise equipment.
The investigation was prompted after a family member of the victim became aware of the relationship and reported it.
Ricks, who was paid an annual salary of $40,971, was employed as an ESE teacher and junior varsity boys’ basketball coach at Haines City High School.
He was hired Aug. 31, 2020 and resigned on Jan. 23, 2021. There was no previous disciplinary action in his personnel file. Polk County Public Schools confirmed that standard procedures were followed during the hiring of Ricks.
Haines City High School and the Haines City Police Department have been working closely throughout this investigation and will continue to do so. The cooperation between the school and the Police Department was vital in assuring the swift arrest of the suspect.
With the assistance of the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, Ricks was arrested at a family member’s home on Tuesday night and transported to the Osceola County Jail. Ricks’ electronic devices will be forensically examined as part of the ongoing investigation.
“This case of grooming serves as a reminder for parents to remain vigilant about who their children are around,” Chief Jim Elensky said.
“We appreciate the hard work of our detectives and the cooperation we received from Haines City High School, Polk County Schools and the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office throughout the investigation. We will work diligently to make sure this predator is held responsible. If there are any additional victims or if anyone has any further information, we encourage them to contact 863-421-3636, ext. 2239.”
I love this look of defiance. Let’s see his face when he meets Bubba the cellmate.