A volunteer coach with the Tarpon Springs Jr. Spongers youth football program was arrested yesterday after deputies say he carried on a months-long, sexually charged relationship over text and video with a 14-year-old girl. Investigators allege the 39-year-old sent explicit messages, exposed himself over FaceTime and repeatedly warned the teen to erase their conversations because they could land him in jail. He was taken into custody at a Clearwater home and booked into the Pinellas County Jail, and the investigation is still active.
What Deputies Allege
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office identified the suspect as 39-year-old Reginald Seay, saying he first met the girl while volunteering with the Tarpon Springs Jr. Spongers football team. According to detectives, Seay spent more than three months texting the teen, sending sexually explicit messages and exposing himself to her during FaceTime calls.
Investigators say Seay told the girl to delete their messages because they could "put him in jail," a warning that now features prominently in the case against him. Detectives report they arrested Seay at his home in Clearwater, brought him to the sheriff's Largo headquarters for an interview, then booked him into the Pinellas County Jail. He faces one count of harmful communication to a minor, according to FOX 13 Tampa Bay.
The Youth Program
Tarpon Springs Jr. Spongers is a volunteer-run youth football and cheer organization that publicly lists its board and program details online, according to Tarpon Springs Jr. Spongers. The group fields teams for local kids and leans heavily on parents and community members to coach, coordinate and keep things running, much like many youth football programs that depend on volunteers for everything from play-calling to painting lines on the field.
What the Charge Means
Under Florida Statute 847.01385, "harmful communication to a minor" involves an adult engaging in a pattern of communication with a minor that includes explicit descriptions of sexual activity, among other criteria. The offense is classified as a third-degree felony in Florida, according to the Florida Senate.
The statute also closes off two common defenses: an adult's claim that they misunderstood a child's age, or that the minor consented to the communication, cannot be used to avoid liability under this law.
Other Recent Cases in Pinellas
Pinellas County detectives have been busy this year with investigations that start on screens rather than street corners. Reporting by the Tampa Bay Times highlighted an April arrest in which a man was accused of soliciting nude photos from a 15-year-old. That case, like Seay's, underscores how local investigators are increasingly tracking alleged crimes that unfold through texts, social media and video calls.
Investigation and How to Help
The sheriff's office says the case involving Seay is still very much open and that detectives are working to determine whether there are any additional victims or witnesses. Anyone with information is asked to contact Corporal K. McKee at (727) 582-5827, as reported by FOX 13 Tampa Bay.
Tips can also be submitted through the non-emergency line and the online tip form listed on the department's contact page at the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. Investigators emphasize that even small details can help as they continue to piece together the timeline of events.
