A former Mount Dora High School counselor is facing molestation charges after a 15-year-old girl said he performed lewd acts on her on campus.

  • Former high school counselor accused of molesting girl on 2 occasions
  • Jason William Roberts charged with lewd and lascivious molestation
  • Roberts has been with Lake County Schools since 2012

Jason William Roberts, 40, of Ocala was booked into the Lake County Jail on Wednesday night.

An arrest warrant was issued Sept. 7, and Roberts is charged with two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation of a child under 16.

According to an arrest affidavit, the girl reported to child welfare authorities earlier this month that she'd been the victim of two lewd acts by her school counselor, identified as Roberts, and that the incidents occurred in a locked "test" classroom.

She also told authorities that Roberts knew what he was doing was illegal and that after they texted, he would make her delete the messages and send him a screen shot to prove she'd done so.

A probable cause affidavit said he was a counselor at Mount Dora High at the time of the alleged incidents, which Mount Dora Police say occurred between January and March 2017. He's been employed with Lake County Schools since 2012 and was at Mount Dora High for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 school years, district spokeswoman Sherri Owens said. He currently serves as the ESE school specialist at Mount Dora Middle School, she said.

Previously, Roberts was suspended and received a written reprimand for inappropriate use of the district data network and falsification of Statewide Standardized Results Waiver documents. He has had no prior disciplinary issues on his record involving children, Owen said.

Roberts' bond was set at $20,000.