BLOOMINGTON, Ind. An ex-resource officer at a Bloomington, Illinois, high school has been arrested on felony charges after a female student said he sexually assaulted her on his fishing boat.

Jayson Tatlock, 46, of Seymour, was charged Tuesday in Owen Circuit Court with child seduction, battery, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and giving a minor alcohol. He has since been booked into the Owen County Jail.

A former school resource officer at Bloomington High School North, the charges against Tatlock stem from a fishing trip he took last summer with a 17-year-old student.

During that trip, Tatlock reportedly got the teen drunk and sexually assaulted her.

Initial investigation, victim interview

Indiana Conservation Officers were contacted on June 18, 2024, after the victim’s guardian made a police report. In it, the tipster said a 17-year-old student at BNHS had been kissed and groped by Tatlock while out on his boat at Cataract Falls in Spencer.

Police made contact with the victim, who described first meeting Tatlock at BNHS during the beginning of the school year. She said Tatlock had admitted his attraction to her and that he had looked her up in the school database the first day he ever saw her walk by his office.

The victim said she and Tatlock began spending time together at school, with the resource officer letting her stay in his office and giving her snacks and drinks. She said she viewed Tatlock as a father figure and even bought him a “#1 Dad” present, but also had a “crush” on him.

Tatlock and the student reportedly began chatting outside of school via email, communicating at night and on the weekends. She said eventually Tatlock began making uncomfortable sexual remarks toward her, commenting on her breasts and asking about her sex life.

Once the school year ended, the student said she continued visiting Tatlock’s office during the summer. One day, he suggested the two of them take a fishing trip. The girl reportedly agreed, and asked if Tatlock would be able to buy her fruit-flavored vodka for the trip.

Fishing trip in Owen County

One day in early June 2024, the student met up with Tatlock in the BNHS parking lot and got into his truck. The two reportedly drove to Cataract Falls and got onto his boat together, heading out into the water as they cracked into bottles of Svedka and rum.

The victim said she began to feel uneasy once they were out on the water, with Tatlock taking the boat to a secluded area covered by trees. The two began fishing, but Tatlock allegedly began physically touching the young girl and asking sexual questions.

Tatlock reportedly told the victim he no longer receives attention from his wife of 26 years. During this time, the victim said Tatlock was rubbing the victim’s thighs. Soon after, she said the physical touching escalated.

The victim said Tatlock asked for permission to kiss her before putting his lips on her mouth, neck and ears. He then allegedly asked the girl if she “wanted to see a magic trick” before unclasping her bra with just one hand and groping her chest with the other.

Records show Tatlock’s wife was texting him during the fishing trip, at one point sending a message referring Romans 8:6 that read: “So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death.”

After trying to take a nap on the boat, the victim said she faked a hangover and asked to leave. Video surveillance shows Tatlock then drove her back to BNHS.

Interview with Tatlock

When asked to speak with officers on June 21, 2024, Tatlock reportedly said, “Just file whatever and I’ll just deal with it in court.” However, after agreeing to an interview, police said he openly admitted to taking the student on a fishing trip.

Tatlock reportedly told officers he purchased alcohol for the trip and gave it to the victim on the boat. He soon admitted to several physical interactions with the girl while on the boat, including him licking her thighs, grabbing her buttocks and rubbing her legs.

“I probably told her that she had a nice butt,” Tatlock added.

When told that the victim remembered him kissing her, Tatlock initially denied having done it and then said the alcohol made it difficult to remember. Once confronted with the victim’s statement, Tatlock reportedly said, “If she said it happened, then it probably did.”

Tatlock also told officers he appreciated getting attention from the 17-year-old because “the shop was closed” at home, referencing he and his wife’s sex life.

“It was just nice to just be hanging out,” he said. “I was never aroused. I was probably already knowing that the whole thing was just stupid and a bad idea.”

Aftermath, arrest

Court documents filed in the case against Tatlock say a final police report was submitted on Feb. 10, 2025. Official charges were then filed against him on June 24, 2025. It is unclear why there was a delay in the charges being filed.

An initial hearing in Tatlock’s case was held Thursday in front of Judge Donald VanDerMoere. A no-contact order has since been issued barring Tatlock from interacting with the victim.

Monroe County Community Schools said it became aware of the allegations against Tatlock on June 18, 2024, and immediately placed him on administrative leave. Tatlock then resigned the next day. A full statement from MCCSC can be seen below.

“Now that law enforcement has concluded its investigation, we can make you aware of an alleged incident that occurred last summer regarding a former MCCSC employee. 

On the evening of June 18, 2024, the MCCSC received a report from the guardian of a now-graduated Bloomington High School North student alleging sexual assault of the student by a then-Bloomington High School North School Resource Officer (SRO). The incident is alleged to have occurred on June 4, 2024, outside of school programs while the SRO was off duty during a non-school outing that occurred on Cataract Lake in Owen County.

The MCCSC immediately contacted the Indiana Department of Child Services on June 18, 2024, placed the SRO on administrative leave, and commenced its investigation. The SRO resigned the next day. The MCCSC fully cooperated with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources in its investigation of the incident that has resulted in criminal charges being filed against the former SRO on June 24, 2025.  

Following a full criminal background check as part of the MCCSC’s customary hiring practices, the SRO joined Bloomington High School North in July 2023. The SRO was respected by multiple law enforcement agencies and had 20 consecutive years of service locally at the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and Owen County Sheriff’s Office. 

The safety and security of our students is the highest priority to the MCCSC.  We will continue to work cooperatively with our law enforcement partners and the prosecutor’s office in this matter.”

– MCCSC spokesperson

Personnel records show that Tatlock was initially hired as an SRO at BNHS on June 6, 2023. He said he was previously employed with the Seymour Police Department, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department and the Monroe County Public Defender’s Office.

No other information was immediately provided by MCCSC or the prosecutor’s office. This article will be updated once more information is released.