Kemper coach resigns, faces charges of sexual battery

After a month-long investigation by the Kemper County Sheriff’s Department, Kemper County High School head football coach and director of athletics Charles Rashaun Westerfield was arrested on sexual battery charges on Wednesday, Nov. 10.

Kemper County Sheriff James Moore said his office received information from the Kemper County School District about an incident involving the football coach and a student on Oct. 7.

“Throughout the investigation we learned that something really had happened,” Moore said. “We interviewed the student and Mr. Westerfield.” He said that after the interview they were able to obtain a warrant to do a forensic search on the student’s phone.

“We were able to gain more information and to confirm some of the things we had been told,” Moore said. “Then we had to do an affidavit for a probable cause hearing.”

The information was taken and presented to Judge Charles Wright in Lauderdale County with Westerfield present.

“After hearing the information the judge ruled that there was probable cause and an arrest warrant was issued,” Moore said. “(Westerfield) was then taken into custody and brought to the Kemper County Jail.”

Moore said that a bond of $25,000 was set and that Westerfield then posted bail and was released.

When contacted about the matter Kemper County Superintendent of Education Hilute Hudson said that he could not comment about the situation.

He confirmed that Westerfield had turned in his resignation and that it was accepted last Thursday at the district’s regular monthly school board meeting.

Dicenzo Miller was named as the interim head football coach and Jackie Jackson, a high school principal, assumed the duties of athletic director. It was a position she held last year.

Westerfield, 33, was in his second year as head coach at KCHS.