ORANGE PARK, Fla. (CBS12) — A Florida High School teacher was arrested Thursday after investigators say he sent sexually explicit messages and photos to a student through social media.
Deputies with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office say they began investigating 48-year-old Christopher Suarez, a now-former teacher at Ridgeview High School in Orange Park, on May 19 after school officials and deputies received a report that a student had been receiving inappropriate messages from a teacher at the school.
According to investigators, Suarez began communicating with the student through a social media platform earlier this year. Officials learned the messages escalated in the days before the report was made, with Suarez allegedly sending sexually explicit photos to the juvenile.
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School officials immediately placed Suarez on administrative leave while detectives investigated the allegations, according to reports.
On Thursday, deputies arrested Suarez on six counts of transmission of harmful materials to a minor and one count of using a two-way communication device to commit a felony.
Court records show Suarez is being held in the Clay County Jail on a bond totaling $525,021. Deputies have not released a mugshot of Suarez at this time.
Authorities said the investigation remains active. Anyone with information related to the case is asked to contact Detective Andrew Carter at 904-264-6512.