BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — An elementary school assistant principal in Cocoa was accused of being involved in an inappropriate relationship with a former student, police said.
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On June 20, Palm Bay Police Department notified Cocoa Police Dispatch that 25-year-old Devane Nicholi Lonard Clarke, assistant principal at Cambridge Elementary School, was having an inappropriate relationship with a minor.
Investigators said someone turned over Clarke’s Apple watch to Palm Bay Police -- after finding disturbing images of a former student.
The Palm Bay Police wanted Cocoa Police to send an officer to Cambridge Elementary.
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Police said upon arrival, they made contact with Clarke and requested that he hand over his phone and asked if he was willing to answer some questions.
Clarke cooperated and drove to the Cocoa Police Department.
Police said that during the questioning, Clarke confessed to communicating with one of his former students through Messenger and Snapchat.
Detectives said they were able to recover over 11,000 deleted text messages between the suspect and the victim, which were “explicit and provocative”.
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Police said some of the photos showed the victim “semi-nude” and “compromising positions”.
Detectives said the assistant principal admitted to having an inappropriate relationship with a former student who is a minor.
Police said when they confronted Clarke about the messages and the photos, he confessed that he was involved in an inappropriate relationship with the minor.
Clarke was arrested and booked at the Cocoa Police Department and later returned to the Brevard County Jail.
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Clarke was a teacher at the school first, and in May, the school board approved his reclassification from teacher to assistant principal.
Clarke’s position as assistant principal was scheduled to take effect in August.
Clarke was bonded out of jail on Saturday.
Clarke can’t have contact with the victim or any minors--- except his children, and that will be through a third party.
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Clarke’s next court date is July 23.
Channel 9 found out that Clarke is listed as the president of the Palm Bay West Little League.
Channel has contacted the organization to ask where he stands in the position; we have yet to hear back.
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