Fmr. Dade Teacher Accused Of 60 Sex Acts With Minor Student
MIAMI (CBS4) - A Virginia teacher is behind bars in Miami-Dade County after federal authorities say he travelled across state lines to have sex with a minor.
Thomas Patrick Keelan, 54, of Roanoke, Virginia, was in federal court Monday afternoon, accused of having sex with the minor at least 60 times. 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.
According to CBS4 News partner the Miami Herald, Keelan taught English at Miami Country Day School between 2009 and 2010. It was there, police say, Keelan began having a sexual relationship with a 15 year old student.
In 2010, Keelan accepted a job as the head of the English department at a North Cross private school in Roanoke but continued to have a long-distance relationship with the student.
In May 2012, police say the student, now 17, began cooperating with authorities and placed several calls to Keelan. According to the complaint, Keelan professed his love for the student and said he was going to travel to Miami to have sex with the student again.
Police learned that Keelan had booked a Hollywood hotel room and planned to check in on June 16 for a week-long stay.
When Keelan arrived at the hotel, he was arrested. He is being held at the Federal Detention Center in Miami.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement was the lead on the investigation, with the help of the FBI, Broward Sheriff's Office, Hollywood Police Department and the Fort Lauderdale Police Department.
Authorities believe there may be additional victims and are asking anyone with information to contact the FDLE hotline at 888-356-4774.
(©2012 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed material for this report)
