NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — The owner of a martial arts academy in Newport News is being accused of sexually abusing three juveniles who attended the academy, police say.
Newport News police said 30-year-old Jeremy Allen Armstead, of Williamsburg, was arrested Thursday evening and charged with more than a dozen counts.
Some parents were unaware of the charges against Armstead, and were bringing their kids to a 5:30 p.m. scheduled class Friday evening at Xtreme Dragons Black Belt Academy.
10 On Your Side broke the news to Norris Williams, who has two children enrolled there. He said he “never would have guessed” someone like Armstead would be charged with sex crimes.
Police charged Armstead with four counts of abduction: by force, intimidation or deception, five counts of Rape: intercourse by force, four counts of sodomy: by force or victim helplessness, strangulation and indecent exposure.
According to police, Armstead is the owner and operator of Xtreme Dragon’s Black Belt Academy located at 13901 Warwick Boulevard. The academy’s website shows it was opened in 2014.
The owner of a neighboring business, who shares a parking lot with Armstead, says she was very surprised and disappointed because Armstead “seemed like a regular guy.”
Armstead is a fifth degree black belt who has been training in Taekwondo for more than 25 years, according to the website. The academy offers programs to teach martial arts to children as young as 3.
Police have not disclosed the age of the victims.
This is a developing news story. Stay with WAVY.com for updates.
