Army Reservist Arrested for Alleged Misconduct with Students

Army Reserve Master Sgt. Joseph Antoine Prevatte, 39, has been arrested twice this month in Florida on charges that he had inappropriate relationships with high school kids while he was a substitute teacher. Since 2007, Prevatte has been an intelligence NCO in the Army Reserve. He is now facing major charges in Hillsborough and Manatee counties.

Between October 1 and 3, Prevatte is said to have sent a student racy texts and had sex with them while working at Hillsborough County's Lenard High School. Police charged him with lewd battery and harmful explicit communication with a child. He is being held in the Falkenburg Road Jail at the moment.

In a separate investigation, Manatee County officials found that Prevatte had sent a student inappropriate messages and pictures while she was teaching there. He was caught and charged with soliciting lewd behavior on November 8. The next day, Prevatte was freed on a $75,000 bond.

Investigators from both counties are working together. It was "despicable," Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said, and he promised the town that justice would be done.

The Army Reserve said it is keeping a close eye on things and will make sure the right steps are taken to support its standards of behavior. In the meantime, Prevatte has been banned from teaching by school districts in both counties while the court process continues.

‍