BY DAN HILDEBRAN
Monitor Editor
STARKE— Bradford High School’s volleyball coach was arrested Monday for engaging in lewd conduct with a student and sending sexually explicit text messages to the same minor.
Lanie Kay Rodgers, 24, turned herself in to Bradford deputies Monday night and was released after posting a $75,000 bond.
Major Brad Smith said in a news release that the investigation began when a student noticed what she believed was inappropriate text messages on a friend’s phone.
“The texts were being sent from (Rodgers) to a high school student that contained sexually explicit language,” smith wrote.
Smith added that detectives first interviewed the victim with her parents present, and she denied any inappropriate behavior with the coach, insisting that they were just friends. However, during a second interview with only her mother with her, the victim admitted to having a more involved relationship with the suspect than she previously stated.
Smith said investigators also interviewed Rodgers.
“The suspect was cooperative with the detectives and admitted to sending sexually explicit text messages to the victim’s phone,” he wrote.
After a judge signed an arrest warrant, Rogers turned herself in at around 9:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 20 and posted bond.
Rodgers is a 2015 Bradford High School graduate. She played both volleyball and softball there. Rodgers played softball for an additional two years at Florida State College at Jacksonville and was hired as the head varsity volleyball coach after coaching for one year at Bradford Middle School. She also assisted the high school softball team as an assistant.
Rodgers had an 8-27 record over her first two seasons leading the volleyball team. The team has a 1-7 record this year.
