Former director of Peoria Ballet arrested in Florida on molestation charges
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WEEK) An apparent former artistic director of the Peoria Ballet has been arrested in Florida on charges of battery and molestation, the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Servy Gallardo s personal bio on the St. Petersburg Ballet Conservatory s website says he was with the Peoria Ballet from 2010-2011 and was offered the position of artistic director within a year.
A Facebook post on the Peoria Ballet s page from 2012 refers to Gallardo as its artistic director and according to his LinkedIn page, he was director from 2011 to 2014.
The Times reports 52-year-old Gallardo was arrested Monday and faces several charges, including lewd and lascivious molestation.
GULFPORT â St. Petersburg police arrested a 52-year-old dance instructor about 11:43 a.m. May 3 after he was accused of having inappropriate sexual relations with a 15-year-old student.
Servy Gallardo of St. Petersburg was booked into the county jail on four counts of lewd and lascivious battery and one count of lewd and lascivious molestation.
According to detectives with the Crimes Against Children Unit, Gallardo teaches at the St. Petersburg Ballet Conservatory, 1500 58th St. S. in Gulfport. Detectives say they are concerned there could be additional victims.
Anyone with information on this case or who has been victimized by Gallardo is asked to call the St. Petersburg Police Department at 727-893-7780. Anonymous tips can be sent by texting the letters SPPD and the tip to TIP411.
Florida ballet conservatory co-founder accused of molesting student
Martin Mejia/AP
In this April 2, 2019 photo, young ballet students stand in first position in a dance studio at a public school in the Chorrillos neighborhood, a poor part of Lima, Peru. A former National Ballet of Peru dancer is bringing classical ballet dancing to children from impoverished communities where leotards and shiny pink pointe shoes are seldom if ever seen. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)
and last updated 2021-05-04 10:42:34-04
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) â Police say the co-founder and artistic director of the St. Petersburg Ballet Conservatory has been arrested on battery and molestation charges.