Polk County substitute teacher arrested for sex offenses against 2 students: PCSO
Photo courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office
LAKELAND, Fla. - A high school substitute teacher was arrested in Polk County for sex offenses against two of his female students, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Jerron Dunn, 33, served as a substitute English teacher at New Beginnings High School, a charter school in Lakeland. He was charged with Sex Offense on a Student by an Authority Figure and Transmission of Material Harmful to a Minor and booked into the Polk County Jail on Thursday.
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According to PCSO, the investigation began when the two female victims, a 17-year-old and an 18-year-old, told their guidance counselor that Dunn had sent both of them explicit videos of himself on Snapchat.
The 17-year-old victim told detectives she had borrowed a charger for her phone from Dunn and, while her phone was charging, he went into the phone and added himself to her Snapchat.
He then began sending her messages asking her to come visit him at his house, according to PCSO. She declined, but he continued to send messages, including the explicit video.
The 18-year-old victim told detectives that she had accepted Dunn's friend request on Snapchat, which led to him telling her she was pretty and that he wanted to start a relationship with her.
According to PCSO, he told the 18-year-old he wanted her to be a ‘friend with benefits’ and come over to his house and have sex with him, in addition to sending multiple explicit videos of himself.
"This suspect used his position of authority over students to groom them and attempt to have sex with them; our hope is that there are no other victims," Sheriff Grady Judd said. "We encourage anyone who has been victimized by Jerron Dunn to please contact law enforcement."
Dunn's bond was set at $30,000 during his first appearance Thursday, according to investigators.
The sheriff's office is asking that if anyone has information regarding similar acts by Jerron Dunn that they contact them at 863-298-6200.