St. Thomas More Coach Fired Over Sexually Explicit Video to Teen Arrested by Feds in Youngsville, Louisiana

YOUNGSVILLE, La. (KPEL News) - Jacob De La Paz, a former math teacher and coach at St. Thomas More in Lafayette, has been arrested by agents with the Department of Homeland Security, the agency announced on Friday.

De La Paz was fired from the school after information regarding inappropriate communication with a Vermilion Parish student came to light earlier this week. A SnapChat video of the coach, shirtless, was leaked to social media, accusing him of sending the video to a minor.

In the video, he is describing a sexual fantasy and encouraging the video's recipient, who is allegedly a teen girl, to engage in sexual activity.

De La Paz was let go from the school earlier this week, and news of the scandal broke soon after. He served as a math teacher and a cross country coach at STM, and according to a school Facebook photo caption originally posted in August, had begun working there just this year. However, he is reported as having been abruptly removed from the school on Wednesday and was reprimanded for inappropriate contact with a student, according to KLFY.

Witnesses in the Youngsville area reported a massive law enforcement presence Friday as federal agents took De La Paz into custody. The Department of Homeland Security released a statement that afternoon.

“Special agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Lafayette received information regarding a possible child exploitation event which led to the arrest of Jacob De La Paz on April 27 on violation of 18 USC 2251; Enticing a minor to produce child pornography/Child Sexual Assault Material,” the statement read. “He is currently in federal custody. As this is an ongoing investigation and additional charges may be pending, we are unable to provide additional information at this time. HSI worked jointly with the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, Vermillion Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigations during this investigation.”

De La Paz is currently being held at the St. Martin Parish Jail awaiting the U.S. Marshals Service, according to KLFY.