Lucas Cridlebaugh, 25, of Sanford, Seminole County, Florida, United States is originally from Alachua, Alachua County, Florida. In August 2021, he graduated from the University of Florida in Gainesville, Alachua County.
In October 2021, Cridlebaugh joined Winter Springs High School in Winter Springs, Seminole County as a social studies teacher. In December 2022, he and his wife got married.
Cridlebaugh is accused of having inappropriate sexual contact with a girl attending Winter Springs High School on the school campus on several occasions over the spring and early summer of 2023. On October 9, 2023, her mother found out about it.
The mother learned that Cridlebaugh exchanged sexually explicit messages with her daughter and contacted the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. The teacher cooperated with the investigation.
On October 11, 2023, the Crimes Against Children Unit of the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office arrested Cridlebaugh. He was charged with two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation of a minor and three counts of lewd and lascivious battery.
Bond for Cridlebaugh was set at $75,000. He was booked into the John E. Polk Correctional Facility in Sanford.
Shortly after Cridlebaugh’s arrest, Seminole County Public Schools placed him on administrative leave. The incident was reported to the Department of Family and Children Services.
CONAN Daily 