Prior to his arrest on a felony sex charge, former Evangelical Christian School boys basketball coach RJ Jones admitted to hanging out with an ECS student at a bar and kissing her.
The 32-year-old, whose full name is Rial Jackson Jones Jr., made the revelations during a March 4 interview with a Lee County Sheriff’s Office detective, according to his warrant request affidavit obtained by The News-Press. Jones, who turned himself in on March 25, is currently free on a $100,000 bond and entered a not guilty plea on March 30. His first court appearance is scheduled for April 27.
LCSO documents filed in the case state Jones voluntarily agreed to a recorded interview with Detective Juan Bell without a lawyer present. The News-Press omitted some information from the documents to protect the identity of the student.
After initially denying claims of an intimate relationship with the 18-year-old, Jones acknowledged spending time with her and some of her friends outside of school-related activities, including at an area bar, the affidavit said.
During further questioning, Jones admitted to sharing one kiss with the teen, but he told the detective that the relationship did not progress beyond that. He also acknowledged he knew it was not permitted for him to be involved in a romantic relationship with a student, even one who was 18 and a legal adult.
In 2018, then-Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed legislation that made it a second-degree felony for teachers or other school employees to engage in sexual relationships with students, regardless of their age. Previously, consensual relationships were subject to criminal charges if a student was a minor.
Documents also showed the LCSO obtained a warrant for the contents of Jones’ cell phone.
A forensic review of its contents showed a 2 a.m. text message from the teen to Jones, stating “I love you.”
The review also found notes on the device that included the statement, “I am sure ECS will fire me so I think it’s best if I just resign ahead of it.”
In addition, the review revealed a ChatGPT-generated message in which Jones sought advice on how to support his girlfriend regarding her parents’ divorce.
On March 5, the day after his interview with Bell, ECS announced that Jones had been placed on administrative leave. On March 25, the day of his arrest, the school confirmed he was no longer an employee.
Documents also show Bell interviewed the teen on March 4 with her mother present. The teen denied being involved in a relationship with Jones, stating he only provided support during personal hardships. She also agreed to a search of her cell phone, which was collected and submitted as evidence pending a forensic download. The report stated that the cell phones of Jones and the teen are under further review.
The teen was also provided a photo lineup in which she positively identified Jones and wrote on the lineup, “RJ did nothing.” At the teen’s request, she also signed a waiver of prosecution affidavit signifying she does not want to press charges or cooperate in a criminal case.
Bell conducted a third interview on March 4 with an unidentified witness. The witness, whose mother was present, said she was frequently present when the student and Jones were together and reported seeing them kiss, which led her to believe they were dating.
The witness also described several occasions during Christmas break and New Year’s Eve when Jones met with the teen and her group of friends, including at a bar and a restaurant. She also stated she received text messages from Jones regarding another matter in which he referenced ending another relationship to be with the teen.
The witness said she was unaware whether Jones and the teen had sexual intercourse, but reported the teen told her the two had seen each other naked and that Jones had given her a hickey on her breast.
Court records show that Jones has retained attorneys Desiree Wilson and Thomas Gilhooly of the Foley & Wilson Law Firm in Fort Myers as his legal representatives. A message left at the firm on April 2 seeking comment for this story was not immediately returned.
Contact Sports Reporter Dan DeLuca at ddeluca@usatodayco.com. For the best sports coverage in Southwest Florida, follow @newspresssports and @ndnprepzone on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: RJ Jones enters not guilty plea in sex case; admits kissing student
Reporting by Dan DeLuca, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Fort Myers News-Press
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