Ex-wife of former Lee County teacher convicted of sexual misconduct speaks out

CAPE CORAL, Fla. (WINK) — When a school employee is arrested for alleged sexual misconduct involving a student, understandably, the focus often turns to the victim, the investigation and the criminal case. 

For Lindsay Archey, the arrest of her then-husband, former Diplomat Middle School teacher Joseph Reynolds, changed her life and left her dealing with emotional and financial consequences she says continue years later.

Now, she is sharing her story publicly for the first time with WINK Investigates.

The arrest

Reynolds was arrested on April 7, 2023, after Cape Coral police investigated allegations that he sent an explicit image to a student. Investigators said Reynolds gave the student his phone number and communicated with the student through text messages.

He was arrested again on April 12, 2023, after police reviewed information from his cellphone.

Reynolds later pleaded guilty to:

• Lewd or lascivious molestation
• Transmission of material harmful to a minor
• Computerized solicitation of a minor

He was sentenced to 12 years in state prison in 2024, followed by eight years of sex offender probation.

The case also resulted in a civil lawsuit against the School District of Lee County, filed by the family of the victim.

The lawsuit was filed on May 3, 2024, by the student, identified in court records by initials, through their mother and legal guardian.

The complaint included claims of negligent security, supervision and retention.

Court records show the district agreed to a $200,000 settlement, and the lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed with prejudice on March 14, 2025.

‘A state of traumatic shock’

While the criminal and civil cases unfolded, Archey, Reynolds wife at the time of the arrest, says she was trying to understand what had happened to the person she had trusted.

"It was a really dark and tumultuous time to find out that the person that, like, you love, that like you looked up to, that like kept you and your children safe, that was like a total monster," Archey said.

She described the first year after Reynolds’ arrest as one of the most difficult periods of her life.

“For the first year, like, I lived in a state of, like, traumatic shock,” she said.

Archey says she had to step away from her job as a nurse to focus on healing and processing what had happened.

She also says she discovered significant financial problems after Reynolds’ arrest.

“He left me broke and broken, like into like hundreds of thousands of pieces,” Archey said.

Archey’s divorce process continued for years and was finalized in August 2026.

She says she spent much of that time researching and trying to understand what had happened, while also managing the emotional and financial consequences.

Families of people convicted of crimes

Archey says families of people who commit crimes can be overlooked, even as they deal with the fallout.

“The family members of those who have offended are often forgotten about,” she said. “Sometimes we're the ones that carry the most guilt, trauma from what the fallout from everything that had happened.”

She says her experience has been difficult to explain to people who have not lived through a similar situation.

Archey wants others facing similar circumstances to know they are not alone.

“It's honestly like it'll be one of the darkest times of somebody's life,” she said. “My advice is just to keep going. You'll get through it.”

What Lindsay says schools should do

Following a lot of research, Archey also believes schools need to take proactive steps to prevent inappropriate relationships between educators and students.

She says teachers should maintain clear boundaries and should not act as students’ friends.

“Your teacher should not be your friend. Period,” Archey said.

She supports additional education and training for teachers, administrators, coaches, parents and students.

Archey says school communities should understand what inappropriate conduct can look like and how to report concerns.

“We need to be making sure that we're checking our teachers,” she said. “Not all teachers are bad, and not all of them deserve to go through this, but for right now, like, how else are we gonna stop them? We just have to educate, educate, educate.”

What the school district told WINK Investigates

WINK Investigates asked the School District of Lee County about its background screening requirements for employees who have contact with students.

The district said it follows Florida law and requires Level 2 background checks for those employees.

According to the district, the screenings check:

• The Florida Department of Law Enforcement database for statewide criminal history
• The FBI database for federal and out-of-state criminal history
• Sexual predator and sexual offender registries

A Level 2 background check is Florida’s most comprehensive screening process, according to the school district.

Rebuilding her life

Archey says the emotional impact of Reynolds’ actions has continued long after his arrest and sentencing.

She says she is still rebuilding her life while processing what happened to her family.

“It made me angry, to be honest, like that somebody that I had trusted was capable of doing things to other, like, minor children,” she said.

Despite the challenges, Lindsay says she has found reasons to keep moving forward.

She hopes sharing her story will bring more attention to family members who may be left dealing with the emotional, financial and personal consequences of someone else’s actions.