Latest Headlines
- Cantonment Man Charged After I-10 Motorcycle Chase
- Wet Wednesday, Thanks To Tropical Storm Bertha
- New I-10 Exit At Beulah Road, Hwy 29 Improvements, Other Projects For Escambia County
- Jay Operations Manager, Recent City Manager Contender Arrested On Sex Offender Violation
- Need Sand For Flood Prep? It’s Available Free In Escambia County
- Two Escambia County Tax Preparers Plead Guilty In Fraudulent Tax Return Scheme
- Escambia Master Deputy Christopher Echele Receives Sheriff’s Award
- Couple Charged With Felony Aggravated Child Abuse For Alleged Physical Abuse, Severe Neglect Of Young Girl
- Florida’s Month-Long Back To School Sales Tax Holiday Began Monday
- Look Back: Blue Angels, Pensacola Beach Airshow Photos
Update: Jay Operations Manager Suspended Following Sex Offender Violation Arrest
July 22, 2026
Following her arrest on a sex offender violation charge, the Town of Jay’s operations manager has been suspended without pay.
April Burford Watson, 50, was booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail at approximately 10:47 a.m. on Monday. She is charged with a felony sex offender violation for failure to register as required. She was released from jail late Tuesday night on a $2,500 bond.
At the regularly scheduled Jay Town Council meeting Monday night, she was suspended without pay.
According to a statement from Town Clerk Donna Bullock: “The Town of Jay is aware that April Watson was arrested on July 20, 2026. At this time, the Town has limited information about the charges against Ms. Watson or any of the facts and circumstances which led to this arrest. The Town recognizes that any information represents only one side of any story and does not necessarily indicate that the individual charged is guilty. As such, the Town of Jay owes it to all involved to act deliberately with full knowledge of the facts and with fairness towards all.”
“The Town is currently working to gather information and will make a decision on how to proceed based on a thorough review of all the facts and circumstances. After a review is completed, the Council will determine what additional actions are needed,” the statement concluded.
Watson’s arrest was part of a morning sweep targeting registered sex offenders accused of violating state registration requirements. Early this year, she reportedly spent a week beginning May 29 at an RV park in Milton without reporting it as a temporary address as required by Florida’s sex offender laws.
Until Monday, Watson served as the operations manager for the Town of Jay. Earlier this month, she was under consideration to become the next town manager. However, the town council opted on July 7 not to fill the position.
Watson’s requirement to register as a sexual offender stems from an August 2009 arrest. At the time, Watson and another former Jay High School teacher were charged with engaging in unlawful sexual activity with three 17-year-old male students during July and October of 2007.
In April 2010, Watson was found guilty on three counts of unlawful sexual activity with certain minors. She was sentenced to 15 months in state prison, serving one year behind bars. Her sentence was followed by 18 months of community control and five years of probation, along with a lifelong requirement to register as a sexual offender under Florida law.
Comments