Allegan Public Schools has fired its aquatics director after allegations surfaced that he sexually abused a student.
Scott Simmons, 42, allegedly had an inappropriate relationship with a student and faces the following criminal charges:
- Criminal sexual conduct in the third degree involving a student
- Child sexually abusive material – aggravated possession
- Computer use to commit crime
- Criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree involving a student
Third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a victim who is a student is a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison, while aggravated possession of child sexually abusive material and using a computer to commit a crime are both 10-year felonies. Fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct with a victim who is a student is a two-year high court misdemeanor.
Allegan Public Schools Superintendent James Antoine issued a public letter to the school’s families on Tuesday notifying them of Simmons’ firing after the school district participated in an investigation with law enforcement.
“This action was taken after Allegan Public Schools participated in an investigation with law enforcement regarding allegations of criminal misconduct arising out of an inappropriate relationship with a student. Allegan Public Schools has been informed that Mr. Simmons faces criminal charges. This decision comes after a thorough investigation and careful consideration of the facts surrounding the incident. Allegan Public Schools will continue to collaborate with law enforcement and the prosecutor’s office moving forward.”
Simmons worked as the aquatics director at Allegan High School in Allegan, Michigan. One of the school’s former aquatics directors, James Baird, also had his employment terminated after he was accused of sexually abusing multiple students on the swim team between 2005 and 2010.
Baird was also accused of sexually abusing underage girls between 2018 and 2020, but the charges were dropped earlier this year.
On September 20, Otsego Police noticed Simmons in a car with a teenage girl at a local park.
In an interview with police, Simmons claimed he was helping the student with depression issues. The student said there wasn’t an inappropriate relationship going on, but later admitted she lied to protect herself and Simmons.
A search warrant on the student’s phone showed sexual conversations dating back to August. Court documents show that Simmons performed sexual acts on her, and also said the teenager told police Simmons would make advances towards her.
“I noticed that he would look at a lot of girls and just be kind of weird and make gestures and comments sometimes,” a student at Allegan High School said, according to News Channel 3.
The student also told police she would sometimes stay over at Simmons’ house, and court records indicate the two of them stayed over at a hotel in Kalamazoo one night.
Investigators found a folder on the student’s Snapchat, called “for my eyes only,” that contained nude photos and sexual videos of her, which she shared with Simmons.
In a recorded interview, Simmons told Superintendent Antoine that he sent at least one explicit photo to the student. He also claimed that the student threatened him in some regard, potentially to expose their relationship.
“It was all an elaborate scheme to destroy me,” he said, adding that the encounters were forced and that at one point the student forced him to get a Viagra, and if he didn’t obey commands, “there would be consequences”. He said he feared for himself and his family.
Simmons was arrested last Friday, but posted a $2,500 cash bond on Tuesday morning.
He is scheduled to be arraigned in court on Nov. 1.
This is starting to become a weekly occurrence in the swim world
No, the REPORTING seems to be a weekly occurrence, but sadly, this kind of abuse has gone on for a long time.
What a creep. Blame the victim too!
Somehow in line with the trend in America