Former New London school employee, coach will not be prosecuted in student sex case
The state will not be prosecuting former Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School paraprofessional and New London High School track coach Jevon Elmore, who was charged last year with having an inappropriate relationship with a 16-year-old high school student.
Prosecutor Sarah Bowman entered a "nolle," which is a notice that a criminal defendant will not be prosecuted, during Elmore's appearance Thursday in New London Superior Court.
The 26-year-old Elmore had been accused of picking up the girl in an Uber in July 2018 and taking her to his Bank Street home for a "nap date," according to an arrest warrant affidavit.
Sixteen is the age of consent in Connecticut, and the girl was considered old enough under state law to consent to having sex with Elmore. He had been charged because of his status as a school employee with authority over the student. Elmore was placed on paid administrative leave on May 10, 2019, and charged by city police on May 23, 2019, with second-degree sexual assault. He was fired by the school district on June 13.
Elmore's attorney, William T. Koch Jr., said the whole case was based on false information in the arrest warrant. Koch said the warrant indicated the girl said during a forensic interview that she was enrolled in a high school workout program overseen by Elmore. The girl did not say that during the interview, Koch said.
"He never committed a crime," Koch said.
Elmore lost his job as a result of the charge and has had a terrible time getting another job while the charge was pending, Koch said. Koch said he had filed a motion for disclosure of evidence supporting the state's claim within weeks of Elmore's arrest but didn't receive it for several months. Once he watched the forensic interview, which was of poor quality, Koch said he confirmed that the girl did not say she was involved in Elmore's workout group.
The arrest had occurred as details were unfolding in the case of Corriche Gaskin, a former middle school employee who is incarcerated on charges he sexually assaulted two middle school students and shared homemade sexually explicit videos on his cellphone.
Gaskin remains incarcerated while his charges are pending.
A third person charged during the investigation, former Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School teacher Melissa Rodriguez, also is not being prosecuted. Rodriquez had been accused of failing to report suspected child abuse after speculating in text messages with Gaskin that school employees were having sex with students. A state's attorney dropped the charge against her in January, saying she didn't think the state had the evidence needed to prove Rodriquez guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The arrests last year prompted Mayor Michael Passero to request an investigation by State Child Advocate Sarah Egan. The probe is on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic but, in a preliminary report, Egan listed several areas for potential oversight: sexual abuse prevention policies and positive school climate, ensuring adequate hiring practices, ensuring background checks are completed and ensuring a working framework for compliance with state-mandated reporter laws.
