A St. Petersburg College baseball coach was arrested in an undercover sting in Orange County on Tuesday.
31-year-old Robert B. Francis, a baseball coach at St. Petersburg College, is accused of traveling to meet a minor for sex and having obscene communication, after the two met in an internet chat room.
A detective posing as a 14-year-old girl struck up a conversation with Francis who arranged to travel to Orlando meet her. Investigators said, Francis also posted a photo of an adult male with no shirt, in an obscene pose.
According to the Arrest Affidavit, Francis asked the undercover cop to show a “nipple” when he got to Orlando, so he would feel “100 percent comfy that this is all cool.”
Francis was given an address off Kirkman Road and when he showed up around 5:30 p.m., detectives arrested him.
Investigators said, in Francis’ car were, condoms, a video camera, a bottle of wine, and a bag of Peanut M&Ms, among other items.
Francis was transported to the Orange County Jail and booked around 8:30 p.m. He has been charged with obscene communication, traveling to meet a minor for sex and transferring a harmful material to a minor.
In addition to serving as a baseball coach at St. Petersburg College, investigators said, Francis has also been a teacher in the past, of many different age groups.
