Boca Ciega employee arrested over texts with female student

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A maintenance worker at Boca Ciega High School was arrested Wednesday over inappropriate texts with a student, police said.

According to Gulfport police, school resource officers were notified of what they called an “ongoing incident” between the 16-year-old student and Malcolm D'Angelo Albury McGruder, a plant operator at the school.

McGruder, 24, met the teen girl on campus in late 2019. Investigators say the relationship escalated, even though McGruder knew the girl was only 16.

He was arrested on a charge of using a device with the apparent intent to seduce, solicit, lure, or entice the student to engage in unlawful sexual conduct.

A schools spokesperson said McGruder has since resigned.