A Broward County substitute teacher faces charges of lewd and lascivious conduct over an alleged sexual relationship with a 15-year-old boy he met at Crystal Lakes Middle School, according to the Broward County Sheriff's Office.
According to an arrest report, BSO deputies arrested Vernell Hicks on Thursday at Pompano Beach Middle School after the boy's mother contacted police when she found explicit messages between Hicks and her son.
Hicks was the alleged victim's substitute teacher in 2016 at Crystal Lakes Middle School where he helped the boy open a Facebook account, according to the report.
Hicks and the boy would communicate through Facebook. The conversation the mother saw began on June 3 and ended on Tuesday and involved coordinating when Hicks would perform oral sex on the victim, according to the arrest report.
The victim said he and Hicks met for sexual encounters up to six times.
"Our Special Victims Unit detectives are concerned that this Pompano Beach man may have victimized other children," BSO said in a statement, adding that anyone with information is urged to contact Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.
Broward County Public Schools on Friday said Hicks, who first began working as a daily substitute teacher in September 2015, has been terminated from his position.
