A 63-year-old former elementary school teacher in Marion County is facing sexual battery charges, approximately 10 years after he allegedly raped a student.
On August 15, 2025, Michael Allard was arrested, booked into Marion County Jail, and charged with two counts of sexual battery on a victim under the age of 12.
According to Marion County Court records, on or between August 1, 2015, and May 31, 2016, Allard allegedly sexually assaulted a male student at Anthony Elementary School by “causing his penis to penetrate or have union with” the victim’s “mouth [and] anus.”
The allegations of sexual assault were initially reported by the victim in January of 2025, which prompted an investigation that led to a warrant and Allard’s subsequent arrest.
The victim alleged that at the time of the sexual assault, Allard told him to remain in the classroom while the other students were dismissed for a physical education class. According to the victim, he was then instructed to change his clothes in front of Allard.
The victim then claimed that Allard forced himself onto the victim, which is when the alleged sexual assault occurred.
Back in 2015, Allard was hired by Marion County Public Schools. He worked at Madison Street Academy of Arts (401 NW Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in Ocala) and Anthony Elementary School (9501 NE Jacksonville Road in Anthony), where he taught a class for the gifted program, according to MCPS.
When school officials became aware of the allegations made against Allard earlier this year, they placed him on administrative leave.
Court records show that Allard is being represented by Tampa-based Attorney William Walter Tison III. Allard has entered a written plea of “not guilty,” and he is scheduled to appear in a Marion County courtroom for an arraignment hearing at 9 a.m. on Tuesday September 16.
Allard remains in custody at Marion County Jail, where he is being held without bond.