A Prince William County high school basketball coach has been arrested and charged with having a sexual relationship with a former student.
Nsonji White, an attendance officer and girls basketball coach at Stonewall Jackson High School, is accused of having a relationship with a then-17-year-old student in 2004 and 2005, according to Prince William County police. He is being held without bond.
White is the fifth county schools staff member to face criminal charges since April over accusations of an inappropriate relationship with a student.
Police allege that White, 38, of Manassas took part in “sexual acts” with the female student. The acts, which police did not describe further, happened several times at different locations, including in the school, police said.
The student recently reported the allegations to police, said Officer Jonathan Perok, a police spokesman. He said he didn’t know why the student decided to report the relationship now.
White is charged with five counts of crimes against nature and five counts of indecent liberties by a custodian.
It wasn’t clear how White and the student know each other. Police and school officials said they didn’t know whether she was on the basketball team.
White is being placed on administrative leave, Prince William schools spokesman Ken Blackstone said.
Blackstone said White has worked for the district since August 2003.
Prince William has experienced an unusual rash of charges of instructor misconduct this year.
In April, Gar-Field High School teacher Tina Amato was accused of having a yearlong sexual relationship with a student and Gar-Field substitute teacher and track coach Eric Lewis was arrested over an alleged relationship he had with a Potomac High School student when he taught there in 2008.
Then, in May, Beville Middle School teacher Lawrence Lucchetti and Woodbridge Middle School teacher David Blount were charged in separate cases with inappropriately touching students.
Blackstone said principals are reviewing appropriate conduct with their staffs.
“Violations of our policies, and most importantly, the law, will not be tolerated,” he said.
School officials urged students and parents to report misconduct.
“Even though these allegations do not involve any current students, I encourage you to talk with your student about the importance of reporting all concerns about possible inappropriate behavior to you and to our school administration,” Stonewall Jackson Principal Richard Nichols wrote in a letter sent home with students Wednesday.
