MARION COUNTY, Fla. — The Dean of Students at Evergreen Elementary School turned himself in on charges of exposing his sexual organs to a student's grandmother, the Marion County Sheriff's Office said Thursday.
Deputies said the 44-year-old grandmother reported the incident on Monday after she said Patrick Sasnett, 36, met with her to discuss disciplinary issues with her grandchild at the school in Ocala.
Deputies said that as the grandmother was leaving the meeting in Sasnett's office, she bent down to grab something from the floor and Sasnett told her, "Look what you do to me." When the victim stood up, she could see that Sasnett was exposing himself to her, deputies said.
Authorities said the grandmother and Sasnett were alone when the incident happened and the victim gave a clear description of Sasnett's undergarments to deputies.
When approached by deputies, Sasnett said that the victim had been flirting with him during the meeting and that he had played along. When deputies asked him to show them his underwear to confirm the victim's description, Sasnett changed his demeanor toward the deputies, investigators said. Authorities said when Sasnett eventually showed deputies his underwear to "defeat allegations," the victim's description was a perfect match.
"He never did admit directly to doing this. He did admit to flirting with the victim, to playing along, saying she was very flirtatious as well," Lauren Lettelier of the Marion County Sheriff's Office.
School officials said Sasnett has been with the district for three years and has never had a complaint lodged against him, prior the recent incident. They said he has been on paid leave since the accusations were brought to their attention.
Sasnett turned himself in to the Levy County Jail Wednesday afternoon, and posted a bail amount of $500 two hours later.
Channel 9 learned that Sasnett has been a pastor at St. Paul's AME Church for four years.
WFTV
