JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A mom of a student who was in the same classroom as the music teacher charged with two counts of child molestation says her child witnessed some of his alleged misconduct.
Gregg Gafford, 42, was accused in two child sexual abuse cases involving students at different Duval County schools.
The sexual misconduct investigation began in 2023 when Gafford was a teacher at St. Matthew’s Catholic School on Jacksonville’s westside. Police said he was accused of groping a student during an after-school club. Another victim came forward in 2024.
News4JAX with the mother of one of Gafford’s former students. Investigators interviewed her child and other classmates.
“They told the detective they were up there because their friend let them know he had touched them. They also reported that during choir rehearsal, he showed creepy pictures and videos,” the mother said.
The mother described what her daughter said she witnessed.
“She said she saw where his hands would linger too long. She also said at one point, he put his hands on her shoulder, and she would be like, ‘don’t touch me.’ She said he would always put his hands here, but his hand would linger as he did a massaging motion, and they would have to move out of the way.”
The Diocese of St. Augustine issued a written statement to News4JAX that read, in part, “In July of 2023, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office notified the school that Mr. Gafford was under investigation and should not be permitted on school property. Although the nature of the investigation was not disclosed, the school took immediate and proactive steps to ensure student safety by placing him on administrative leave. He subsequently resigned.”
The mom we spoke with denied the diocese’s claim that the school was unaware of the nature of the investigation. She said that after she and her daughter spoke with investigators, she sent an email to school administrators and the diocese, letting them know the name of the detective who spoke with her daughter.
“Why didn’t anyone send out a notice saying, hey parents, you’re going to see this on the news, or hey parents, we need to advise you that a teacher has been removed from the school for inappropriate whatever, and we’ll keep you posted,” the mother questioned.
News4JAX reached out to the Diocese regarding the mother’s concerns about communication. We received the following statement:
“We found out yesterday, as you did, the nature of JSO’s investigation into Mr. Gafford. We have no additional details.”
Many years before Gafford worked at St. Matthews, he worked at Normandy Village Elementary School. One of his former students recently reported to police about being sexually abused by Gafford.
Police believe there are possibly more victims. If you have any information to report, reach out to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office at 904-630-0500.