ORANGE PARK, Florida — A Florida high school teacher was arrested on Thursday following an investigation into allegations that he transmitted sexually explicit messages and photographs to a student via social media.
Detectives with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office launched an inquiry into 48-year-old Christopher Suarez on May 19. The investigation began after school administrators and sheriff’s deputies received a formal report indicating that a student was receiving inappropriate communications from a teacher at the facility. Suarez is a now-former educator at Ridgeview High School, which is located in Orange Park.
According to law enforcement officials, Suarez initiated contact with the student through a social media platform earlier this year. Investigators discovered that the communication escalated in severity during the days preceding the initial report, during which Suarez allegedly sent sexually explicit photographs to the minor.
School administrators immediately placed Suarez on administrative leave while law enforcement personnel investigated the claims.
On Thursday, sheriff’s deputies took Suarez into custody. He faces six counts of transmitting harmful materials to a minor and one count of utilizing a two-way communication device to commit a felony.
According to court records, Suarez is currently being detained at the Clay County Jail. His bond has been set at a total of $525,021. Law enforcement officials have not made a booking photograph of Suarez available at this time.
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