Marion County P.E. Teacher Held Without Bond on Molestation Charge
A 54-year-old educator was arrested after a former student alleged he touched her when she was eight.
By Elena Greco ·
Jeffery Farris, 54, is being held without bond in the Marion County Jail following his arrest for molestation of a child under 12. The former physical education teacher at Saddlewood Elementary faces charges related to alleged contact with a student who was eight years old at the time.
The arrest report details the victim's account of the incident at Saddlewood Elementary. The student told investigators that Farris approached her from behind while she was bending over. According to the report, he grabbed her buttocks and genital area during the encounter.
The student also reported that Farris touched her waist on other occasions. She provided these details to detectives as part of the ongoing investigation into the teacher's conduct.
During his interview with law enforcement, Farris was asked if he understood the reason for the meeting. He stated he believed the inquiry stemmed from a recent instance where he helped a student unzip her jacket and briefly saw her nipple. He did not mention the alleged molestation when explaining his thought process to detectives.
School district records show Farris was suspended in 2017 while serving as a wrestling coach at West Port High School. An internal investigation found that he had shared a hotel room with a female student during a wrestling trip. No sexual contact was alleged in that 2017 incident. Farris remains in custody in Ocala as of this report.
