Former Hillsborough teacher arrested for sexually abusing a student

A former teacher at a Christian school in Hillsborough has been arrested for sexually abusing a student.

Denzel Proctor, 26, was arrested Wednesday on five counts of sexual abuse of an authority figure and one count of unlawful sexual contact with a minor.

Proctor, a former music teacher at Grace Christian School in Valrico, began an “inappropriate relationship” with a 16-year-old student in 2022, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

On July 3, investigators were notified of a sexual abuse by an authority figure involving a pregnant 18-year-old woman. The woman told investigators that she “had a sexual relationship with Proctor both on and off campus between 2022 and 2024 that resulted in her becoming pregnant,” the press release said.

After Proctor resigned in December 2023, the school reported rumors about the relationship to the Department of Children and Families, according to the sheriff’s office.

“This man preyed on a vulnerable teenager and abused the trust of our community,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in the release. “Such betrayal is especially devastating when it comes from someone who is expected to serve as a mentor.”

Records show Proctor was being held without bail at the Falkenburg Road Jail. Prosecutors have filed a motion to keep him in custody without bail while his case is pending. A hearing on the motion is scheduled for Monday morning.

The sheriff’s office said the investigation is ongoing and anyone with information can call 813-247-8200.