Investigators say the student relied on her for housing and food.
SANFORD, Fla. — A Florida high school teacher was arrested in Seminole County after investigators accused her of giving students alcohol and drugs and engaging in sexual conduct with one male student who had moved into her home, authorities said.
The case centers on alleged conduct tied to a public school campus north of Orlando and a teacher who had worked in the district for years. Detectives say the student described a relationship that shifted from trust to control, and they are reviewing messages and witness accounts as the criminal case moves through court.
Authorities arrested Mackenzie Lane McLean, 49, of Lake Mary, on felony charges that include two counts of sexual offense by an authority figure and a charge tied to distributing a controlled substance, according to law enforcement accounts and court filings. McLean taught world history, U.S. government and economics at Crooms Academy of Information Technology, a magnet high school in Sanford. Investigators say the allegations involve students who spent time at her home in 2024, including one teen who later attended college. Seminole County Public Schools placed McLean on administrative leave after the arrest, saying it would act quickly on staff misconduct allegations and that student and staff safety is the district’s highest priority.
Detectives say the central accuser was a male student who became close to McLean’s family and viewed her as a “mother figure” during problems at home. The student told investigators he moved into McLean’s house around March 2024 after he was kicked out of his own home and had nowhere else to live. The student said the first alleged sexual encounter happened during a night of video games in a bedroom, when McLean and her daughter were in the room. According to the student’s account, McLean gave him about 12 shots of gin, he became severely intoxicated, and she told her daughter to leave before the encounter began. The student told investigators he pushed McLean away and said it was wrong, but he described later incidents that he said continued while she remained his teacher.
The student told investigators he lived with McLean for about nine months and estimated he was sexually abused about five to 10 times during the roughly two-month period when she was still his teacher. Detectives wrote that the student became emotional during the interview and cried while describing what happened. When asked why he did not report the alleged abuse earlier, the student told detectives he felt compelled to endure it because he feared losing shelter and food. Investigators say the student also described pressure in the home that went beyond the sexual allegations. In one account quoted in law enforcement reports, the student said McLean would scream until he allowed her to sleep in his bed, and he said he felt trapped because he depended on her.
Authorities also say other students described being given substances at McLean’s home. One former student told investigators she went to McLean’s house when she was 16 and was offered alcohol and marijuana gummies. Another student said the gatherings involved drinking and smoking, and that some teens would occasionally pass out because of how much they used. In a separate allegation tied to the drug distribution charge, investigators say a friend of the student told detectives that McLean provided Adderall. Investigators say the friend shared messages and other information that they believe supports the account of sexual contact. The case file includes claims that McLean stayed connected with the student even after he graduated and went to college, and investigators say some alleged events took place while he was away at school.
Crooms Academy sits on Historic Goldsboro Boulevard in Sanford, in an area with deep Black history and a long-running community identity tied to schools, churches and local civic groups. The campus is part of Seminole County Public Schools and draws students from across the county for specialized programs. The district said McLean had worked for Seminole County Public Schools since August 2001. In its statement after the arrest, the district said allegations of misconduct are taken seriously and handled quickly. It also said any behavior that jeopardizes safety will not be tolerated. District officials have not described any prior discipline in public statements tied to the criminal case, and investigators have not released the names or ages of students beyond describing one as a male student who was 18 during the alleged charged conduct.
McLean’s arrest has raised questions about how often students visited her home, what other adults knew, and how the relationships formed. Investigators have not publicly detailed the full timeline of the alleged conduct, and they have not said whether additional alleged victims may be identified. They also have not released full copies of the probable cause affidavit in some public postings, though summaries cite interviews, texts and witness statements. Law enforcement has said the alleged conduct includes providing alcohol, marijuana and other substances, and that investigators believe the teacher used access to those substances to blur boundaries with teens and young adults. In one line quoted in a law enforcement report, the student said he was given alcohol until he would allow sexual contact.
In court, the case is expected to turn on evidence that corroborates the student’s account, including messages, the timing of the student’s enrollment, and witness statements about time spent at the home. Prosecutors will also have to show McLean’s status as an authority figure over a student at the time of the alleged offenses. The charge involving an authority figure applies even when a student is 18, under Florida law, if the person accused holds a position of authority connected to the school. Investigators have said the student remained connected to McLean as he transitioned out of high school and into college, and that the relationship continued during that shift. Court records and jail listings have shown changing custody conditions in the days after the arrest in public reports, and McLean has a court hearing scheduled for March 31.
Outside the courthouse and school district offices, the allegations have touched a nerve in Seminole County, where parents and students have pushed for clear boundaries between staff and teens, especially in magnet programs that often involve mentoring and small cohorts. Some students described McLean as approachable, while investigators say the accuser described a relationship that began with help and ended with fear. A spokesperson for the school district said McLean was placed on administrative leave after the arrest. An attorney listed for McLean in public reports did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Investigators have not released body camera video or surveillance footage, and they have not said whether any search warrants were served at the home.
McLean remained jailed as the case proceeded, and the next major court milestone is her March 31 appearance, when the judge is expected to address scheduling and any release conditions that may apply.
Author note: Last updated February 22, 2026.