Former teacher accused of having child porn misses court appearance, arrest warrant issued

Published: Updated:
court
Credit: WINK

A former social studies teacher at Canterbury School accused of possession of child pornography missed his court appearance.

A warrant of arrest has been issued for Thomas Deane after he did not appear Monday morning for February 2022 charges of lewd and lascivious behavior toward a victim under the age of 16.

According to investigators, Deane cut off his ankle monitor and fled his home.

He was last seen in Miami, said his attorney.

Deane was set to appear in court to enter a plea deal at 9 a.m.

Since his arrest, Deane has been charged with 28 counts of child pornography.

Deane was expected to appear in court Monday morning to attempt a plea deal to cut his sentence by decades.

The former teacher and lacrosse coach faces a life sentence for the above-mentioned charges.

Investigators claim that he met a minor on the dating app Grindr, where they exchanged messages on Snapchat.

Further investigation discovered that the two met and had a sexual encounter. When the child’s mother found their relationship, the police were alerted.

The child was not a student at the Canterbury School, a private school in Fort Myers.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.