CLEARWATER — A Clearwater man who volunteered as a youth football coach has been arrested after detectives say he engaged in sexually explicit communications with a 14-year-old girl he met through the football program.
According to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, 39-year-old Reginald Seay was arrested Tuesday, June 30, following an investigation by the Crimes Against Children Unit. He is charged with one count of Harmful Communication to a Minor.
Detectives said the investigation began after they received information that Seay was involved in an inappropriate relationship with the teenage victim.
Investigators learned Seay served as a volunteer football coach with the Tarpon Springs Jr. Spongers and met the victim at a football field when she was 13 years old.
According to detectives, Seay maintained a texting relationship with the victim over a three-month period, during which he allegedly sent sexually explicit messages and exposed himself to the girl during a FaceTime call. Investigators also say Seay instructed the victim on multiple occasions to delete their text conversations, telling her the messages could send him to jail.
On June 30, detectives arrested Seay at his Clearwater residence and transported him to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Administration Building in Largo, where he was interviewed.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Seay admitted to the allegations during the interview.
He was subsequently booked into the Pinellas County Jail on one count of Harmful Communication to a Minor.
Under Florida law, no additional information that could identify the 14-year-old victim is being released.
Anyone with information related to the investigation is asked to contact Corporal K. McKee at (727) 582-5827.
The investigation remains ongoing.
A booking photo was not available at the time the Sheriff’s Office issued its news release.