OKEECHOBEE, Fla. — A former teacher and soccer coach at Okeechobee High School, who is accused of having a sexual relationship with a teenage girl, is now in custody.
Omar Ayala, 31, was arrested Monday at Orlando International Airport after arriving on a flight from Mexico, according to the Okeechobee County Sheriff's Office.
Investigators said Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection helped in the arrest.
Region Okeechobee County
Former Okeechobee teacher sought, accused of having sex with girl
The sheriff's office had been looking for Ayala since early last month. Law enforcement said that Ayala's lifelong friend, former Osceola County Deputy Arturo Dominguez, helped him elude authorities.
Dominguez was later fired and arrested.
Okeechobee County Sheriff Noel Stephen said in June that Dominguez's interference made investigating this case that much more difficult.
Ayala faces one count of sexual activity with a minor when the offender was 24 years of age or older and the victim was 16 or 17 years old.
