Police said they received a tip about the relationship between the teacher and a student at Haines City High School.

HAINES CITY, Fla. – A former Haines City High School coach and teacher is accused of sexually battering a female student while they were both inside his classroom’s closet on at least 10 different occasions, according to the Haines City Police Department. Authorities said they obtained videos that showed Ricks and the girl together at Halloween Horror Nights in October 2020 and kissing inside of Ricks’ classroom. Records show Ricks was hired at Haines City High School on Aug. 31, 2020 and resigned on Saturday. “This case of grooming serves as a reminder for parents to remain vigilant about who their children are around,” Haines City Police Chief Jim Elensky said in a news release. “We appreciate the hard work of our detectives and the cooperation we received from Haines City High School, Polk County Schools and the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office throughout the investigation.