May 20, 2009
Gary Davidson
Public Information Office

CHARTER SCHOOL TEACHER CHARGED WITH SEXUAL BATTERY

Sex crimes investigators with the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office have charged a teacher at a charter school in DeLand with sexually battering an elementary school student. Jose Tirado, Jr. was arrested Wednesday morning on a warrant charging him with one count of sexual battery on a person under the age of 12. Investigators are looking into the possibility that there could be other victims. The victim who is the subject of the current criminal charge doesn’t attend the Boston Avenue Charter School, where Tirado teaches. 

According to the victim, the sexual assault occurred at Tirado’s home on Dublin Road during a sleepover last week. The victim’s mother told deputies that she has known Tirado for about three years and agreed to let him sleep over at the teacher’s house last Thursday because Tirado was planning to take the boy on an outing the next day. The next morning, the boy called his parents at about 5:30 a.m. from Tirado’s house and said he wasn’t feeling well and wanted to go home. The boy was dropped off at his home and a few hours later confided to his parents that Tirado had him sleep in bed with him and that he had kissed the boy and performed a sex act on him during the night while the two were watching a movie. The boy said he told Tirado to stop, but he held him down with one hand and continued the assault. Tirado eventually stopped and told the boy not to tell his parents what had happened.

Family members initially reported the incident to the Florida Department of Children and Families, and then the Sheriff’s Office was brought in to conduct a criminal investigation. After reviewing the findings of the investigation by the Sheriff’s Office’s Sex Crimes Unit, Circuit Court Judge Frank Marriott issued a warrant Wednesday morning. Deputies arrested Tirado at a residence in Osteen shortly before 11 a.m. Tirado, 25, is being held without bond at the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach.

In the past, Tirado ran a summer day camp at his home in Deltona and investigators are concerned there could be additional victims. The Volusia County School District is cooperating with the investigation, which is ongoing. Anyone with information about Tirado or other victims is urged to call the Sheriff’s Office at (386) 736-5979.