Lanier County High School Coach Charged with Sexual Assault
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Updated: 2:28 PM Oct 9, 2008
Lanier County High School Coach Charged with Sexual Assault
Lanier County High School's basketball coach is charged with the sexual assault of two students
Posted: 7:14 PM Oct 8, 2008
Reporter: John Rogers
Email Address: john.rogers@wctv.tv
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Updated 10-08 7:10pm

Kim Beck recently moved to Lakeland, Georgia from Florida.

Her 14-year-old daughter attends Lanier County High School.

She feels her daughter is safe there, but says teachers should not get too friendly.

Beck says, "When you're put in authority of children, you should know where the boundaries lie. That you should just know better- children are off limits."

The District Attorney says the school's basketball coach, Robert Williams, is being charged with two counts of custodial sexual assault.

School officials say two weeks ago, two underage female students alleged that Williams touched them inappropriately.

Lanier County Schools Superintendent Keith Humphrey says, "Upon investigating that, the teacher was put on administrative leave pending the investigation."

But on Tuesday afternoon Williams turned himself in to the Lanier County Sheriff's Office.

"I believe in somebody's innocence until proven guilty," says Lakeland resident James Marshall.

School officials say Williams is out on bond and still on leave with pay.

The Lanier County Board of Education will discuss the matter at their next board meeting on October 13th.

"Wish it was where kids could go to school and just learn what they need to learn and not learn tough lessons in life," Beck says.

Williams' wife says these allegations are false, and their attorney is going to fight this.

Williams has two young children and another child on the way.

The Superintendent says the two girls still attend the school and they are ok.

The District Attorney says once the GBI turns over the evidence, it will be presented to a grand jury.

Williams could face ten to thirty years in prison for each count.
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Lanier County High School's basketball coach is charged with the sexual assault of two students under the age of 16. The superintendent of schools, Keith Humphrey, says Rob Williams turned himself into authorities Tuesday afternoon. Humpries says Rob Williams faces two charges.

Williams is on paid administrative leave until the school board decides what to do next. The board will take up the matter at its next meeting on Monday, October 13th. Humpries says this is a personnel matter and it's being taken very seriously. Williams is out on bond.

We'll have more details tonight on Eyewitness News.


Latest Comments

Posted by: anonymous Location: georgia on Feb 12, 2009 at 12:45 PM

these 2 girls got mad at him when he told them to stay away from him. they were acting very clingy and hangin around him all the time. when he told them to leave him alone, they got mad and decided to make up these stories about him to get back at him. look at what this is doing to his family! his wife is having pregnancy complications and his two boys have to deal with it every day, as well. he and his family are suffering emotionally and financialy because of this. the truth will come out, and these 2 girls and their families should be ashamed of themselves. this is wrong!
Posted by: cecil Location: port st. joe, florida on Jan 29, 2009 at 12:29 PM

I have known Rob Williams all of his life. I have lived under the same roof with this man. I'm sorry if I'm the only one that thinks it is strange that he has been coaching and teaching both boys and girls programs for going on 15 yrs now and this is the first time anyone has made these kind of aligations. We are supposed to be innocent untill proven guilty in this country, but it doesn't work that way for all. This mans professional life is over even if he is found to be innocent which I know he will be. Rob Williams is a good man, this I know, he looked me in the eye and told me that he did not do this and that is all I need. I just hope all of you MEDIA WHORES remember to cover this story when he is aquitted.
Posted by: Elaine Location: Silver Springs on Dec 2, 2008 at 04:15 PM

There is no doubt in my mind that he did this, because he did the same thing when he was teaching at Lowndes High.It was wrong then, and is wrong now but he woulden't have ever forced himself on those girls, they could have said no.
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