UPDATE: According to Circuit Court documents, Taylor was sentenced to 24 years with 16 suspended, so eight years total to serve.
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CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) — A Newport News assistant principal accused of child sex crimes was granted bond Thursday.
The bond hearing comes a week after Warwick High School’s Assistant Principal of Operations Jason Taylor was arrested on sex crimes against children.
The 45-year-old was taken into custody earlier this month by Chesapeake Police on 26 total charges including:
- 12 counts of forcible sodomy
- 12 counts of indecent liberties with a child
- 2 rape charges
His next trial is set for March 6, 2023.
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.
10 On Your Side’s Jon Dowding has learned that the charges are related to an alleged sexual relationship Taylor had with a Chesapeake student back when he was at Western Branch.
The alleged incidents occurred at the school in closets inside the band room. The victim first told authorities in 2018 after she graduated. She initially could not answer all questions and went to therapy before going back to police again in 2021.
10 On Your Side has also learned that another student has come forward, but from another jurisdiction. The other victim told police that the incident did not occur in Chesapeake and no charges have been filled from the other alleged victim.
Taylor served in the Navy from 2001 to 2008 in the explosive ordnance disposal department and he also worked in the Secret Service.
As conditions of his $88,000 bond, he’ll have an ankle monitor and will be confined to house arrest, except for being able to work at his father’s business.
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.
10 On Your Side spoke with a Warwick High School senior who asked to be kept anonymous. The student says they had Taylor as an assistant principal for the past four years and when they learned of the allegations immediately felt sick.
“I couldn’t believe it at first. I was shocked because it is someone I saw every day,” said the student.
They tell us they always had positive interactions with Taylor and that he was very involved in the school and community.
“My whole high school career we saw him in the halls every day and it was really, really shocking when we found out,” the student stated.
When the news came out of Taylor’s arrest, the student says some Warwick teachers brought up the allegations to their classes.
“My teacher said that there was just something off about him and that she couldn’t believe it. Some people said he was weird sometimes or acting weird towards girls or guys,” the student recalled.
Since Taylor’s suspension, the student says there’s been a lot of anxiety through the hallways.
“I think a lot of girls are really scared. Oh this staff member was looking at me this way and I’m really uncomfortable, or this staff member was trying to talk to me and I’m uncomfortable or gave me a hug and I didn’t like that,” the student explained.
The student tells us they hope the victims find the support and closure they need.
“I’m sure it’s really shameful and embarrassing for the victims. I hope that they know they can always speak up and it’s never too late to speak up,” the student stated.
WAVY has reached out to Chesapeake Public Schools as well, but they have yet to respond to our requests for comment.
Attempts to contact Taylor were unsuccessful.
If you have any information about this case, you can submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, downloading the P3 tips app to a mobile device, or visiting www.P3tips.com and submitting a tip.