Miami-Dade private school teacher arrested on sex charges www.privateofficer.com

 

Miami Dade County Fla June 20 2012 A former Miami-Dade private school teacher who had moved away two years ago was arrested Saturday and charged with returning to South Florida to have sex with a minor.

According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Thomas Patrick Keelan had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old student in 2009 and 2010. Their relationship continued for two years, during which time Keelan and the student had sex around 60 times, the student told authorities.

He taught English at Miami Country Day School for several years, then taught at Rabbi Alexander S. Gross Hebrew Academy in Miami Beach. He left South Florida and took a job in fall 2010 as the head of the English department at North Cross School, a private school in Roanoke, Va.

In May, the student, who is now 17, began working with law enforcement and placed several calls to Keelan. During those conversations, Keelan, 54, expressed his love for the student and planned to travel back to South Florida to have sex with the student, the FDLE said.

He promised they’d meet at the same hotel in Hollywood where they’d had previous trysts. During one call, he masturbated while on the phone with the student, according to police.

In late May, Keelan made a seven-night reservation at the hotel, and on June 15 drove to South Florida. But when he arrived at the Hollywood hotel, it was the police who were waiting for him.

Keelan, a graduate of Williams College and Middlebury College, taught upper school English and directed upper school Shakespeare plays for several years at Miami Country Day. He was also a private English SAT tutor. His contract was not renewed by the school for 2009-10.

Miami Country Day School Head of School John Davies could not be reached for comment.

Keelan has been placed on administrative leave at North Cross.

Authorities believe there may be more victims. Anyone with information should call FDLE at 888-356-4774 or local authorities.

Keelan appeared in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman on Monday. He was charged with attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity and traveling in interstate commerce for the purpose of engaging in sexual conduct with a minor.

He has been booked into the Federal Detention Center in Miami.

Source:www.miamiherald.com