BOYNTON BEACH, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2026 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — A 65-year-old Palm Beach County School District employee from Lake Worth is behind bars after Boynton Beach Police say he had sexually explicit conversations with someone he believed was a 14-year-old boy. Donald Rush was arrested by the department’s Human Exploitation Task Force following an undercover investigation. Police announced the arrest around 5:45 p.m. Monday.
Detectives posing as a 14-year-old boy advertised lawn mowing services on the Craigs List Community board, and a user going by “Palm Guy” reached out. Police say that user, later identified as Rush, asked the boy his age, whether adult men had approached him about sexual activities, and whether he had told his parents about it.
The conversation moved to text messages, where detectives again made clear the boy was 14. Police say Rush kept going anyway, asking sexually explicit questions about the boy’s experiences and talking about his own sexual activity. With help from the Palm Beach County School Board Police Department, detectives tracked Rush down and interviewed him. Investigators say he confessed. He also claimed to be a youth pastor.
Rush is charged with solicitation of a minor to engage in sexual conduct and unlawful use of a two-way communications device. He is being held in the Palm Beach County Jail. Detectives believe there may be more victims and are asking anyone with information about Rush to call 561-742-6158.
We remind readers that charges filed by law enforcement agencies are allegations and that all criminal defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. We also remind readers that civil court filings are allegations made by the party filing suit. The validity of those allegations will be determined in court. If you are the subject of reporting that you believe is inaccurate, please email us immediately at clarification@bocanewsnow.com.
Follow us on Google News
