Brooksville resident Jason Sager who in 2012 ran to assume a post on the Hernando County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) has been arrested in Sumter County for inappropriately touching at least one student at South Sumter High School in Bushnell, Florida. At the time of his arrest, Sager was a teacher at that school.
In 2012, Sager ran as a Republican against Democrat Diane Rowden to serve on the Hernando County Board of Commissioners from District 3. According to the Hernando County Supervisor of Elections website, Sager lost the seat to Rowden by a vote of 37,603 to 34,899. Sager also ran for US Congressman District 5 in 2010 but lost in the Republican primary.
According to Sumter County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) Spokeswoman Michelle Keszey, on Nov. 11, a South Sumter High School student told the SCSO that Sager had allegedly engaged in inappropriate communications and inappropriate physical contact with that student.
A subsequent investigation revealed that Sager did have unlawful contact with the victim through a social media app after school and that he had engaged in unlawful physical contact with that student.
During the probe, investigators interviewed a witness who they later determined was also a victim of unlawful contact with Sager.
On Nov. 16, SCSO deputies obtained an arrest warrant for Sager, 48, on two counts of Transmission of Harmful Material to a Minor, and four counts of Battery.
Deputies from the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) subsequently served the warrant and arrested Sager. He was booked into the Hernando County Detention Center on Nov. 16.
The SCSO currently declined to disclose any further information on the case.
Meanwhile, any other victim or anyone who has information regarding inappropriate communication or physical contact with Sager should call the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office at 352-793-2621.
