STARKVILLE — A Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District teacher was arrested on charges of touching children Thursday, according to Starkville Police Department sources.
Kelvin Stanfield, 51, of Okolona, had four warrants issued for his arrest by the 16th Circuit Court of Mississippi Thursday morning, all on charges related to touching or handling children, SPD Public Information Officer Brandon Lovelady confirmed Thursday afternoon.
A Thursday afternoon SPD press release said the incidents Stanfield is accused of occurred at Starkville High School, with four victims coming forward between March and May of this year.
SOCSD Public Information Officer Haley Montgomery said she could not comment on Stanfield’s previous or current employment with the district as it is a “personnel issue.”
On Thursday, the SOCSD website’s directory listed Stanfield as a teacher at Millsaps Career and Technical Center, teaching Intro to Construction and Safety and Orientation to Construction. Stanfield was also listed as the Jacket Athletics Boys and Girls Bowling team coach.
The state law connected to Stanfield’s arrest includes the purpose of “gratifying his or her lust, or indulging his or her depraved licentious sexual desires.”
The SPD press release Thursday also said that a probable cause hearing was held Thursday morning, as state law requires a hearing to be held before a warrant is issued “for teachers accused of committing a crime while in the performance of their duties.”
A May 15 SPD press release said the police department was investigating reported incidents involving a Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District employee. Lovelady confirmed that previous press release was connected to Stanfield’s case in a Thursday text message to The Dispatch.
Lovelady told The Dispatch that as of press time Thursday, Stanfield was being held at the Oktibbeha County Jail with bond set for $40,000.
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