Warwick High School Assistant Principal arrested, accused of sex crimes against children

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) – Warwick High School’s Assistant Principal of Operations was arrested Wednesday on sex crimes against children.

According to online court records, 45-year-old Jason Michael Taylor was arrested on Wednesday by Chesapeake Police on six counts of indecent liberties with children, six counts of sodomy, and one count of rape by force.

Former students of Taylor’s tell 10 On Your Side he was the band director at Western Branch in Chesapeake during that time and was not employed at Newport News Public Schools when these crimes allegedly occurred.

Court records show the crimes spanned three school years: August 1st, 2015 – June 30th, 2016, August 1st, 2016 – June 30th, 2017, and August 1st, 2017 – June 30th, 2018.

A spokesperson from Newport News Public Schools confirmed the arrest with 10 On Your Side Thursday morning. Read the statement from NNPS below.

One of the members of the Warwick High School leadership team has been taken into police custody due to charges stemming from allegations from several years ago before the individual was employed with Newport News Public Schools. 

In accordance with state and school division protocols, the individual is suspended. 

Newport News Public Schools

Parents say even though the alleged crimes didn’t happen during Taylor’s time at Warwick, the charges are still alarming.

“He’s supposed to be someone she could go to and knowing that he did those things is obviously not the kind of person we want around our kids,” said Lori Nichols when referring to her daughter who attends Warwick High School.

“I would actually go into the front office and see him in there and he was always friendly so I’m just kind of shocked,” said father, Clay Patchett.

Suffolk Public Schools confirmed with 10 On Your Side that Taylor worked for the school district from 1999 to 2001 at Nansemond River High School and from 2009-2013 at King’s Fork High School. 

Those who worked with Taylor tell us he was also employed at King’s Fork High School as the band director in addition to Western Branch and Warwick High Schools. Taylor spent the last five years at Warwick where he was promoted to Assistant Principal of Operations, starting one month after the most recent sex crime filed.

Chesapeake Police tell 10 On Your Side that only one person has come forward to file charges at this time. They say if there are any other victims out there, they’d like to speak with them.

WAVY has reached out to Chesapeake Public Schools as well, but they have yet to respond to our requests for comment.