Former Tampa principal gets 10 years for molesting 2 boys

TAMPA — After admitting he sexually molested two young boys, a former principal of Tampa Day School was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in prison, followed by 10 years of sex offender probation.

“You shall be deemed a sex offender from this date until you die,” Circuit Judge Gregory Holder told James J. Larkin, 64, as he imposed the sentence, along with numerous conditions of his probation, including a requirement he not live, work or volunteer in any place where children gather.

Larkin was arrested last year after a 14-year-old boy who attended Tampa Day School told authorities Larkin had molested him while baby-sitting him when his mother was out of town. The School specializes in students in kindergarten through eighth grade who have mild to moderate learning disabilities.

After the arrest, a man came forward and said Larkin molested him in 1980 when he was 10 and attended a sleepover at Larkin’s home.

On Thursday, Larkin pleaded guilty in both cases under a plea deal. In the 1980 case, he pleaded guilty to sexual battery of a 10-year-old victim and in the other case, he pleaded guilty to attempted sexual battery of a child.

The younger victim was present in court, but he and his mother did not speak.

Before he joined Tampa Day School in 2009, Larkin was headmaster at St. John Greek Orthodox Day School in Hyde Park for more than 30 years.

A father of two, Larkin also taught fourth grade at Carrollwood Elementary School and was past vice president of the Florida Kindergarten Council, former board member of the Florida Council of Independent Schools and past president of the Bay Area Council of Independent Schools.

esilvestrini@tampatrib.com

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