TAMPA, Fla. — A middle school teacher's aide was arrested after deputies say he solicited students for sex via Instagram.
Deputies say that between September 1 and December 11, Quinton Bradford, 24, solicited nude photographs from two students and sex from one of those two students.
HCSO stated that Bradford is a teacher at Buchanan Middle School, where the students attend. The Hillsborough County School District later stated that Bradford was a teacher's aide at the school, not a teacher.
All photographs and sex were solicited through Instagram.
According to the HCSO, Bradford befriended one of the students on Instagram and sent her a direct message admiring her beauty. He escalated the conversation by asking the student for nude photographs, according to the arrest affidavit.
Bradford asked to meet the victim in person "so he could rub on her buttocks," the affidavit reads. He also asked the victim to meet up with him on the weekend so they could engage in sexual intercourse.
During the same period of time, Bradford sent a direct message on Instagram to a second student, admiring her beauty. Deputies say that Bradford asked the second victim for nude photographs on three different occasions.
HCSO Detectives became aware of Bradford on Monday when they were called to the school by the Administration concerning improper photos of him circulating among the student body that had been captured from his social media. It was during the course of that investigation where the inappropriate contact with the two victims was discovered.
Detectives responded to Buchanan Middle School where they interviewed and arrested Bradford. Post Miranda, Bradford advised that he had solicited nude photographs from the two students approximately two times each.
The Hillsborough County School District says that Bradford has been with the district since September, 2014. He has only been at Buchanan Middle School.
"He has been pulled from the school until he meets with our Office of Professional Standards.
We will move towards termination," the school district told ABC Action News.
Bradford was arrested and charged with four counts of Soliciting a Child for Unlawful Sexual Conduct Using Computer.
Currently detectives are not aware of any other victims, however, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office encourages anyone who may have been a victim or anyone who has additional information related to this incident to please call Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office at 813-247-8200.
Mary Stringini is a Digital Reporter for ABC Action News. Follow her on Twitter @MaryWFTS.
