TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Teen Girl Gave Details Of Coach's Tattoos

ADVERTISEMENT

By JOSH POLTILOVE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 12, 2008

Updated: 02/11/2008 11:45 pm

TAMPA - When deputies arrived at the home of Ronnie Lewis a few weeks ago, they did so looking to confirm a description a teenage girl gave of the Newsome High School boys soccer coach's unclothed body and descriptions of the interior of his home.

The teen said Lewis, 37, had tattoos on his body and that his body was clean-shaven, including his pubic area, according to a search warrant.

Lewis was arrested Jan. 31 at his house and charged with seven counts of sexual activity with a minor, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said.

From February 2007 to November, Lewis had sex with a Newsome student at least seven times in his Jeep Wrangler, his home and other locations in the county, the sheriff's office said. The victim was 17 at the time.

According to the warrant, an unidentified juvenile witness was in a vehicle with Lewis on Jan. 19 and overheard a phone conversation between Lewis and the teenager. Lewis, the witness said, was "angry" with the girl. After the phone call, Lewis told the witness that he and the teenager had been having sex "since last February," the warrant states.

When deputies searched the home at 1505 Crooked Stick Drive, Valrico, they tried to confirm a description the girl gave. She said his tattoos included a teardrop down his back "in an Indian style."

She also said there was a white carpet in the living room and an L-shaped couch. She said the "extra room" had a bookshelf with games on it and life-size pictures of sports figures, including Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees.

Lewis was pulled from a Newsome classroom last month when the allegations surfaced that he had an inappropriate relationship with a student, and he has since resigned, Hillsborough County School District spokeswoman Linda Cobbe said.

He has since been released from jail on $52,500 bail.

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 259-7691 or jpoltilove@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT