Collier deputies find more student victims of former Immokalee HS teacher

Authorities say they have found additional victims who were targeted by an Immokalee High School teacher accused of sending photos to a student.

Travis Westberry, 30, was arrested on March 23 by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office on charges of transferring harmful information to a child via an electronic device and battery.

Jail records show Westberry remains in custody on $225,000 bail.

On Friday, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office announced Westberry is facing a felony count of aggravated stalking of a child under the 16 and three misdemeanor counts of battery.

The sheriff’s office said they found two additional victims of Westberry.

Details of the charges were not available. His four victims were under the age of 16, deputies said.

Westberry, who was also a boys basketball coach, was fired by the Collier County school district after his arrest. Some students he coached at Immokalee High School have struggled to cope with the news and nature of Westberry’s arrest.

“My brother talked to me about him a lot, and my brother looked up to him, so it was kind of shocking,” Sarah Clinkscales said.

It’s a nightmare that keeps getting worse for families at IHS.

“It’s just a very sensitive topic,” Clinkscales said.

Clinkscales brother played on Westberry’s team when the 30-year-old coached boys’ basketball there.

“That’s their coach, and you kind of put your trust in that person,” Clinkscales said. “And to find out that they’re capable of stuff like that, it’s kind of hurtful and kind of embarrassing.”

Tindell’s daughter will attend IHS next school year, and the reason for Westberry’s arrest is personal to her life experience.

“I am a victim of sexual abuse as a child, so yes, I speak to my kids all the time and watch my kids constantly,” Tindell said. “It’s scary with any school, but just have to trust that they make good choices with their employment.”

The investigation into Westberry is ongoing, deputies said.

In March, deputies said they had found that Westberry had sent a student a naked photo of himself and that he had also touched at least one student inappropriately in the classroom.

Westberry, a former math teacher, is accused of touching a student’s thigh in class as he helped her with her classwork.

Westberry’s attorney declined to comment.

A family member of a student Westberry coached said the student looked to Westberry.

“That’s their coach,” the woman said. “You kind of put your trust in that person so to find out that they’re capable of stuff like that, it’s kind of hurtful and kind of embarrassing.”