Sumter County Sheriff: School employee charged with sexual battery of 83-year-old woman
What we know:
SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. - The Sumter County Sheriff's Office announced the arrest of a Sumter School Board employee on charges of sexual battery, burglary, and aggravated stalking in connection with an attack on an elderly resident in The Villages that took place on October 22nd.
The suspect is 45-year-old Nicholas McCray, who has been working at Wildwood Elementary School as a Physical Education Paraprofessional.
A statement posted on the Sumter County School District's Facebook page says that McCray has been in his current position since 2024, and was previously employed by the district for 13 years beginning in 2008.
According to a release from the Sheriff's Office, the 83-year-old victim reported the attack in The Village of Lynnhaven at 4:14 am on the 22nd.
Following that incident, the victim had a doorbell camera installed and another security camera placed on the side of her house.
The suspect allegedly returned three days later and was caught on camera looking into the victim's windows, and Sheriff's detectives were able to identify the suspect as McCray.
He was located and taken into custody, according to the release, which says that McCray admitted to the alleged crimes.
While investigating the first incident, detectives learned of similar incidents late last year involving elderly victims at Carriage House Gracious Retirement Living in Wildwood.
The Sheriff's Office says he is facing charges in those cases as well.
The statement issued by the Sumter school district called the conduct described by the Sheriff as "reprehensible", and says the district will cooperate fully during the investigation.
The Sheriff's release says that McCray has been booked into the Sumter County Jail with no bond.
McCray had no documented criminal history according to the Sheriff's Office.
What we don't know:
The Sumter County School district has not indicated McCray's current employment status.
The 2025 incidents are being investigated in cooperation with the Wildwood Police Department, the number of victims and details of those crimes have not been released.
Anyone with additional information is urged to call Crime Line at 1-800-423-8477
The Source: Sumter County Sheriff's Office and the Sumter County School District