Former teacher accused of misconduct with student
A former Tampa high school teacher has been arrested after he allegedly engaged in “inappropriate conduct” with a student on campus, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. FOX 13’s Kylie Jones reports.
TAMPA – A former Tampa high school teacher has been arrested after he allegedly engaged in “inappropriate conduct” with a student on campus, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
An investigation into Gregory Sinadinos, 33, began earlier this week after a school resource deputy was told about “suspicious communication” between a teacher and a student. Detectives from the Special Victims Section immediately responded to the school.
The sheriff’s office says the student reported the incident to another teacher the same day that it happened.
Courtesy: Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
They say that Sinadinos allegedly kissed a 17-year-old student, showed them an obscene photo of himself and challenged the student to do the same.
Dig deeper:
The Hillsborough County School District says that Sinadinos resigned on Wednesday amid the allegations.Â
“This is someone who is not only taking advantage of his authority and his position, but he’s preying on someone to make themselves vulnerable, knowing that in the day and age that we live in, those photos don’t ever go away,” Amanda Granit, a spokeswoman for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, said.
The school district also confirmed that Sinadinos had been a TV production teacher at Leto High School since August 2024.
What they’re saying:
Sheriff Chad Chronister released a stern statement following the arrest, emphasizing the breach of trust between educators and the community.
“Parents trust that when they send their children to school, they are entering a safe environment focused on learning and growth,” said Sheriff Chronister. “There is absolutely no excuse for an adult in a position of authority to engage in inappropriate conduct with a student. This arrest sends a clear message: anyone who exploits or attempts to exploit a child will be held accountable.”
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Sinadinos is facing the following charges:
BatteryAuthority Figure Soliciting Lewd Conduct with a StudentSelling or Distributing Obscene Material to a Minor
Sinadinos made his first court appearance via video conference on Thursday. The judge set his bond at $21,000.Â
“The entirety of this conduct was confined to one individual and one particular day,” Sinadinos’ attorney, Sara Mieczkowski said.
Mieczkowski also said Sinadinos has never faced any previous criminal allegations.
“One instance of an inappropriate relationship between an adult and a minor is one too many,” Granit said. “So, regardless if this was a relationship that happened on one day or one year, it should have never happened at all.”
The judge ordered Sinadinos to have no contact with minors and no unsupervised contact with his daughter, who is a minor. He also may have no contact with Leto High School and must remain in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.
The sheriff’s office says this is the only incident and victim that it’s aware of at this point, but investigators are asking anyone who might have any relevant information to come forward.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.