According to the Santa Rosa County Jail View website, April Watson, 50, was booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail on July 20 at about 10:47 a.m. Her bond was listed at $2,500. She was released from jail on July 21.
According to an arrest report from the sheriff’s office, Watson stayed at the Splash RV Resort from May 29 to June 5 and failed to register that stay as a temporary address.
Watson had registered about 75 times in Santa Rosa County since her release from jail.
Earlier this month, Watson, who is the town’s operations manager, was considered for the town manager position. A motion to appoint her was defeated in a 4-1 vote July 7, with Councilman Mike Hutto casting the lone dissenting vote.
Watson was arrested by the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office in August 2009. Court documents show she, along with another teacher, engaged in sex acts with three 17-year-old male students in July and October 2007. Watson was later found guilty.
She was sentenced to 15 months in prison and served one year, followed by 18 months of community control and five years of probation. Watson also was required to register as a sex offender.
Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Nikki McDonald told the Santa Rosa Press Gazette by phone that deputies made several arrests during the morning operation involving registered sex offenders accused of violating registration requirements.
At a Jay Town Council meeting on July 20, Watson was suspended with pay from the Town of Jay.
Collin Bestor is a reporter for the Santa Rosa Press Gazette. Contact him at c.bestor@srpressgazette.com.
