POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WKRC) – A high school teacher and tennis coach was taken into custody after he allegedly sexually battered a child.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, 55-year-old Otis Cutshaw of Winter Haven, Florida, was taken into custody on July 23 after he allegedly engaged in a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl.
An investigation was launched on July 22 after authorities say it was “discovered that the victim was in an inappropriate relationship with the 55-year-old suspect.”
When speaking with investigators, the victim reportedly admitted to being involved in a sexual relationship with the suspect since school ended in May 2026, adding that they had communicated through messaging apps like GroupMe.
The victim reportedly told law enforcement that encounters occurred frequently at the beginning of summer, then daily during the past week, per the statement. During a search of the victim’s phone, investigators reportedly found messages between the suspect and victim had been deleted. Authorities said “substantial message history” was able to be recovered through forensic analysis, however, which allegedly turned up “numerous pictures, videos, and messages all predominately sexual in nature including photographs and videos of Cutshaw with his penis exposed or while masturbating that he had sent to the victim.”
During an alleged call between the victim and suspect, Cutshaw reportedly told her to delete their chat history, then said he needed to know what she had told police so they could “match their stories.”
When speaking with detectives, the suspect allegedly admitted to traveling to the girl’s home and engaging in “oral sex and penile-vaginal intercourse without a condom on approximately five occasions while her parents were away.” The suspect also allegedly admitted to “exchanging nude photos and videos, providing the victim with gifts, and deleting their chat history because he knew law enforcement was coming to his house.”
According to the statement, the suspect stated that “despite the circumstances, he remains optimistic that he will eventually be able to marry the 15-year-old victim.”
Authorities noted that Cutshaw is married and has two children.
Cutshaw was taken into custody and charged with the following, according to law enforcement:
Sexual battery by custodial figure (FL), 5 counts of travelling to meet a minor (five counts)Unlawful use of a two-way communication device (five counts)Transmission of harmful material to a minor (F3), (seven countsPossession of obscene material depicting a minor (eight counts)Use of a device to solicit sexual conduct with a minorOffenses against students by authority figuresTampering with physical evidence
“We are disgusted to hear that someone entrusted with educating and protecting children has been arrested for such unacceptable behavior,” Fred Heid, superintendent of Polk County Public Schools said in a statement. “We are terminating his employment, and he will have no further involvement with our students. The school district will continue to cooperate fully with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office investigation, and we appreciate deputies moving so quickly to address this situation.”