A Florida elementary school principal was arrested after he allegedly sent sexually explicit texts to an undercover detective posing as a teenage boy.
41-year-old Derrick McLaughlin, a principal at Warren Hope Dawson Elementary School in Riverview, is alleged to have sent the sexually explicit texts to detectives who were portraying themselves as a 15-year-old boy.
The texts occurred during a chat operation by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office to find criminals trying to exploit children.
According to deputies, McLaughlin tried to entice the teenager to engage in sex acts during texts exchanged between January 19th and January 27th.
McLaughlin was arrested Thursday for transmitting harmful material to a minor, unlawfully using a two-way communications device, and using computer services or devices to solicit illegal acts.
Deputies say the principal was placed under a Baker Act for making suicidal comments during his arrest.
Hillsborough County detectives are continuing to investigate this case.