FEDERAL LAWSUIT EXPOSES WIDESPREAD CORRUPTION, CHILD ABUSE, AND CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AT LEXINGTON-RICHLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT FIVE – TIP OF THE ICEBERG
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: May 5, 2025
FEDERAL LAWSUIT EXPOSES WIDESPREAD CORRUPTION, CHILD ABUSE, AND CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AT LEXINGTON-RICHLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT FIVE – TIP OF THE ICEBERG
Columbia, South Carolina — A federal civil rights lawsuit—Sevilla v. Ross, et al., Case No. 3:25-cv-03528—is currently before the United States District Court, alleging systemic misconduct, child endangerment, retaliation, racial discrimination, and failure to follow the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act at Lexington-Richland School District Five (LR5). The lawsuit, filed by Tommy and Melodie Sevilla, accuses LR5, Superintendent Dr. Akil Ross, Coach Aaron Brand, Principal Kaaren Hampton, and other district officials of creating an environment rife with abuse, discrimination, and retaliation.
The Sevilla family is calling on current and former LR5 employees, parents, and the community at large to come forward if they have witnessed or been subjected to similar misconduct. The lawsuit has already garnered significant attention due to its allegations of corruption, racial favoritism, and systemic retaliation within the district and its filing at the Federal level.
Key Alleged Figures and Misconduct:
Dr. Akil Ross – LR5 Superintendent, accused of creating and maintaining a criminal enterprise within the school district to shield corrupt staff and misuse public funds. Has willfully failed to respond to or investigate criminal allegations against his underlings, especially African American coaches and employees, among a host of other allegations substantiated by documentary evidence and proposed testimony.
Based upon information and belief – District Legal Counsel is alleged to have become complicit in the wrongdoings by failing to ethically act and respond and by fostering and perpetrating it by omission and commission.
Coach Aaron Brand – Accused of subjecting a diabetic student to life-threatening punishment, resulting in Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA), and aggressively and consistently retaliating against the Sevilla family for exposing misconduct.
Kaaren Hampton, Paul Calvert, Mansa Joseph – Administrators at Lexington-Richland School District Five (LR5) are accused of failing to investigate and covering up child endangerment incidents, including false statements to law enforcement, and retaliatory actions against those who raised concerns. These officials are alleged to have not only failed to investigate serious allegations of misconduct but also manufactured incidents to create false allegations designed to damage the reputation of affected parents and complainants. They are accused of doing so in an effort to secure a trespass order and other punitive goals against the Sevilla family after nearly a year of sustained retaliation.
These false statements and fabricated scenarios were specifically designed to mislead law enforcement and others, including the court, about the nature of the conflict. Throughout this period, these administrators withheld crucial evidence in the form of video recordings that could have vindicated the Sevilla family and disproven the fabricated claims. The Sevilla family’s attempts to defend themselves were thwarted when key video evidence, including from an incident involving the gym lockout—where Coach Sevilla and students were wrongfully locked out of the gym—was not provided.
Further allegations include the failure to investigate an incident involving Irmo Middle School Teacher Amanda Neel, who allegedly physically prevented a Type 1 diabetic student from privately administering his insulin shot after, based upon information and belief, Irmo Middle School Principal – Mansa Joseph – ordered or encouraged the aggressive measures by staff based on a memo he sent to IMS Coaches. This incident, which violated the student’s 504 plan, was blocked from investigation by Kaaren Hampton, Paul Calvert, and Mansa Joseph, and video evidence of the event has been consistently withheld, denying the affected family the ability to fully defend their rights and hold the responsible parties accountable.
In addition to the aforementioned misconduct, LR5 administrators are also accused of blocking crucial evidence that could have vindicated Coach Sevilla and disproven the fabricated claims against him. Video evidence, which was vital for Coach Sevilla’s defense, was intentionally withheld by administrators in order to damage the Sevilla family’s reputation and prevent them from mounting a legitimate defense. This act of evidence suppression is seen as part of a broader pattern of obstruction aimed at protecting LR5 officials from scrutiny and accountability.
Furthermore, LR5 officials are accused of repeatedly compelling minors—specifically, Sevilla’s wrestlers—to undergo mandatory, intimidating interviews without the knowledge or consent of their parents. These interviews, often conducted without parental supervision, were intended to gather incriminating statements that could be used to discredit Coach Sevilla and justify the retaliatory measures taken against him. This violation of parental rights and coercion of minors demonstrates a blatant disregard for due process and the rights of students, particularly when the interviews were conducted with an explicit intent to gather statements that could damage the reputation and career of Coach Sevilla.
In stark contrast to the treatment of Latino Coach Tommy Sevilla, Black coaches within LR5 have reportedly engaged in numerous acts of misconduct—including assaulting other coaches, using profanities, engaging in uncontrolled sideline outbursts, harassing students, and even attempting to batter or intimidate parents of players—without facing any form of investigation, discipline, or termination. These coaches have also been involved in incidents of misconduct, such as receiving speeding tickets or making false statements to federal mediators and sports governing bodies. Despite these serious allegations and repeated acts of misconduct, these coaches have suffered no consequences. In contrast, Coach Sevilla, who was wrongfully locked out of the gym twice—with his wrestlers, including a concussed student needing medical help—was wrongfully terminated and subjected to unrelenting harassment and intimidation. The Sevilla family, as well as their supporters, have continued to suffer severe rights deprivations, including the failure of Superintendent Dr. Akil Ross and the four corrupt board members to take action. Dr. Ross and the board are accused of systematically refusing to address these egregious behaviors, leaving the Sevilla family and their associates to face continued retaliation and abuses of power. This double standard in enforcement, where Black coaches are protected from accountability while Latino coaches are targeted, underscores the deep-rooted racial favoritism and discrimination within LR5.
Those parents and students have legal rights and claims.
FOIA Violations:
In addition to the allegations of misconduct, there have been repeated violations of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by LR5 officials. Despite formal requests for transparency and the release of relevant records—including video footage, emails, and reports related to incidents involving the Sevilla family—officials from Kaaren Hampton and Paul Calvert’s teams have continuously obstructed and suppressed this information. These actions include intentionally withholding evidence, making false claims about the availability of documents, and providing delayed responses that hindered the Sevilla family’s ability to mount an effective defense.
The FOIA violations are not limited to just the gym lockout incident or the insulin administration issue but extend across a series of allegations involving retaliation, child endangerment, and corruption within the district. Despite numerous formal requests, the district has failed to comply with basic legal obligations to provide records that are crucial for exposing the truth behind the Sevilla family’s claims. These ongoing FOIA violations are part of a broader pattern of obstruction, which seeks to protect LR5 administrators from scrutiny and accountability for their actions.
Reggie Wicker, Steven Puckett, Michael Harris, Tamara Turner, Susan Noller, Jinni Friend, Jeanna Locklair, Amanda Neel, Nashuanda Walters – Additional figures named for their involvement in covering up misconduct, failure to uphold 504 Plans, and obstructing investigations into child abuse and retaliation.
Jerome Singleton (SCHSL) – Executive Director of SCHSL, accused of shielding LR5 officials and refusing to act on serious complaints, while having longstanding ties to Ross, Irmo, LR5, and other suspicious relationships. SCHSL legal counsel is also named as being complicit.
The four corrupt LR5 Board Members: Kimberly Snipes, Mike Satterfield, David Herring, and Kevin Scully, are described as consistently voting to protect Dr. Ross and his cronies, while actively shielding themselves from any responsibility related to child abuse, child endangerment, child cruelty, and civil rights violations within the district. These members repeatedly voted against hearing complaints that implicated Dr. Ross, his administrative team, or any corrupt scheme tied to the district’s misconduct. Their votes were always aligned with Dr. Ross’s interests, ensuring the ongoing cover-up of systemic abuse and failures. Kimberly Snipes historically has cast the deciding votes that have shielded Ross and others and voted against alleged crimes, requested investigations, and all things Sevilla.
Huddle, Barnhardt, and Baynahm—unlike the four corrupt board members—have always shown concern, demonstrating the utmost integrity and voting against Dr. Ross’s corrupt schemes. In fact, Catherine Huddle filed a lawsuit against Dr. Ross, accusing him or others of altering a video of an incident involving allegedly corrupt LR5 Board member Mike Satterfield, one of Dr. Ross’s allies, as part of an ongoing cover-up.
⚖️Grave Allegations Backed by Law and Evidence:
CHILD ENDANGERMENT & ADA VIOLATIONS
On June 3, 2024, a Type 1 diabetic student-athlete was forced into extreme physical conditioning under coaches, resulting in a medical emergency, DKA. This violated the ADA and 504 Plan by failing to provide the necessary medical supervision or accommodations required for students with disabilities. The student was punished with physical exercises after already completing a grueling 3+ hour practice, even though the paperwork required was not due for 30 more days per SCHSL regulations.
The punishment for not having submitted the form was NOT to participate in physical activities—yet the student was still forced into severe physical exertion under extreme conditions, leading to a medical crisis.
RETALIATION & OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE
After the June 2024 abuse, Tommy Sevilla, the father of the affected student-athlete, and an active coach, was targeted for retaliation. He was falsely accused and ultimately removed from his position as a wrestling coach. The retaliation culminated in a lockout incident on December 17, 2024, where janitor Jonathan Colon, in coordination with school officials, locked Coach Sevilla and over 20 students out of the school gym during a practice, ignoring a concussed student outside needing medical help. Evidence of this was withheld, and the incident was fabricated by school officials to damage the Sevilla family’s credibility.
Law enforcement was allegedly misused to intimidate and silence the Sevilla family. Deputies Albert Lyons and Christian Forero are accused of assisting in this retaliation. This is part of a broader pattern of the weaponization of law enforcement against the Sevilla’s and others, for example, using Lexington and Richland County Deputies/SRO’s as personal enforcers and those misused deputies then do not follow the law.
RACIAL DISCRIMINATION & DISPARATE PUNISHMENT
The complaint highlights racial favoritism, with Black coaches and athletes being protected from discipline, while non-Black coaches like Tommy Sevilla were unfairly targeted for retaliation and job loss.
Allegations of disparate punishment for non-Black athletes compared to Black athletes are also central to the lawsuit. A Latino athlete, was punished unfairly for an administrative issue, while Black athletes—including the sons of coaches Aaron Brand and Teon Petree—were exempt from punishment despite similar violations.
FINANCIAL FRAUD & SELF-DEALING
HeartEd LLC, Dr. Ross’s private company, was awarded a $100,000 ARPA grant from the Town of Irmo despite not being a registered nonprofit. In addition, Dr. Ross’s contract with LR5 included improper severance terms, violating SC Ethics and procurement laws. The Board of Trustees approved these actions despite clear conflicts of interest.
Laws Cited and Statutory Grounds:
18 U.S.C. § 1962(c) – Civil RICO (racketeering enterprise liability)
42 U.S.C. §§ 12131–12165, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act – ADA violations
42 U.S.C. § 1983 – Civil rights violations under color of law
SCHSL Bylaws, SafeSport Code, S.C. Code § 63-7-310 (child abuse reporting)
Public Call to Action:
Have you ever had a complaint with an LR5 school employee regarding your child that went nowhere?
Is your child currently being harassed, mistreated, or denied their ADA protections?
Has your child faced unfair discipline or been subjected to retaliation for raising concerns?
Are you an LR5 employee who has suffered from unfair treatment, racial discrimination, or been cheated out of a promotion or job?
Have you been ignored or brushed aside by Board Members Scully, Herring, Satterfield, and Snipes?
Do you have knowledge of misconduct, misuse of public funds, or unethical behavior?
The Court is listening to all grievances related to LR5 schools, not just Irmo High or Irmo Middle School.
The U.S. District Court will protect you if you come forward under federal whistleblower protections.
Now is the time to root out corruption, demand accountability, and push for sweeping changes in Lexington-Richland 5. We need your voice to expose the systemic abuse and cover-up that has taken place. Whether you’re a parent, student, or employee, the Court will hear your concerns and ensure that your rights are protected.
⚖️THIS IS A LANDMARK CASE
This landmark lawsuit is pushing for systemic reforms and the removal of corrupt officials within the district. The Sevilla family seeks justice, not just for their own family but for all children and employees within LR5 whose rights have been violated. The case will shine a light on child safety, ADA compliance, retaliation, and the misuse of public funds.
Court Information:
Court: U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina – Columbia Division
Judge: The Honorable Cameron McGowan Currie
Referred to: Shiva V. Hodges
Case Number: 3:25-cv-03528
Nature of Suit: Civil Rights – Education
Filed: April 28, 2025
Docket Number: Last updated May 1, 2025
This press release is based solely on court-filed materials, sworn affidavits, public records, and constitutional rights of petition. All statements herein are accurate to the best of the authors’ belief and understanding, based on information and belief, and are protected under the First Amendment and litigation privilege.