Substitute teacher, 50, arrested for alleged statutory rape of underage students at Citrus High

INVERNESS, Fla. - A substitute teacher is in jail after being accused of having inappropriate relations with three underage students.

50-year-old Angela Cone-Stanton - a substitute teacher at Citrus High School - faces felony charges.

“She really should have known better," parent Kelly Delmenico said. "That’s terrible. I can’t even fathom at that age attempting that or at any age, but 50 oh my gosh.” 

The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office says the school’s principal called Tuesday after learning about the alleged inappropriate behavior between Stanton and a student. Investigators later interviewed three potential victims, then Stanton at her home, where they arrested her after she made several statements corroborated by specific details given by the victims. 

“It’s nerve-racking to have that happen in such a small town," parent Michele Smith said. "You hear about it happening in other places and when it happens so close to my son’s school and makes you wonder about who’s teaching there.”

Stanton has only been with the district for a few weeks after being hired as a short-term substitute on January 3. According to the school, the inappropriate behavior started before she got the job. The victims telling authorities Stanton sent them several nude photos of herself through Snapchat and at least one victim saying Stanton performed oral sex on them when they were 15.

 “Parents should be regulating their kids' social media use," Smith said. "Because there’s no reason a student and a teacher should be communicated outside of school.” 

"This is an unfortunate and sad situation," the school said in a statement released late Thursday. "However, we have no reason to believe that any inappropriate behavior with our students occurred  on any of our school campuses.”

The sheriff’s office says Stanton was heavily involved with school athletics, but when we reached out to the school say they said that involvement had to do with leagues outside of the school, not affiliated with the district.

Stanton faces one felony count of lewd and lascivious battery and one felony count of knowingly transmitting information harmful to minors.