Guns and ammunition were found in a student's car at Englewood High School. | Duval County Public Schools
Published on October 27, 2023 at 11:25 am
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The former head boys basketball coach at Englewood High School was arrested Thursday on multiple felony counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor, according to Duval County school officials.
Paul Lawrence Quincy McPherson, 45, remains jailed on five felony counts under $445,000 bail, police said. The former head coach also was charged with three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, plus possession of marijuana, jail records show.
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The victim is not identified in McPherson’s arrest report. But it states that the suspect told the victim to go to a fast food restaurant near the high school Aug. 22, “so nobody would see” that person getting into his vehicle. They then drove to a parking lot at the back of an apartment complex, but what happened is blacked out of the report.
The pair met again Aug. 24 at the fast food restaurant, then drove to an undisclosed spot and parked. Whatever occurred there — the information is concealed — the suspect gave his phone number to the victim on a sticky note, the arrest report said. That note was given to investigators on Sept. 5, when the incidents were reported, the report said.
Englewood High Principal Marleny Chirino’s voicemail to parents said McPherson, also a security guard at the Southside school, was reassigned Sept. 5 to duties with no student contact.
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“While the presumption of innocence applies, I feel that it is important for you to know this has transpired,” the voicemail said. “If you have information that you think might be helpful to law enforcement on this matter, I encourage you to contact the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office directly.”
McPherson played basketball at DePaul University, then made his NBA debut in 2000 with the Phoenix Suns, playing one season with them and two other teams, according to basketball-reference.com.
McPherson will remain a school district employee in a non-pay status, pending further action in the criminal case, the district says.
