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SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. - A former Seminole County teacher pleaded guilty to four charges stemming from a misconduct investigation last year, involving sending sexually charged messages to a 17-year-old student, prosecutors said.
What we know:
Richard Carlos Colon, 57, pleaded guilty to four charges, including sexual battery, in Seminole County. He could spend life in prison for these charges, prosecutors said.
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According to Seminole County courts, these counts include:
- Three counts of sexual battery on a child by a person in custodial authority, a first-degree felony punishable by up to life in prison.
- Possession of material depicting sexual conduct by a child, a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison.
- Computer solicitation of a child, a third-degree felony
- Transmission of material harmful to minors by electronic device, a third-degree felony.
Richard Carlos Colon
What were the allegations?
The backstory:
Colon was a teacher and assistant coach at Lake Mary High School.
According to the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, Colon was charged with obscene material – distributing/transmitting information harmful to minors and obscene communication – use of a computer to seduce a child.
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"We take all allegations of staff misconduct seriously and act swiftly," the district said in a statement last year. "We will continue to fully cooperate with law enforcement during their investigation."
The prosecutor was prepared to show detailed evidence that Colon’s relationship with the minor started in 2024 with sexually charged messages and photos sent over Snapchat. Within months, the relationship advanced to a sexual relationship at Colon’s home in Sorrento, FL, and his classroom at Lake Mary High during a period when she didn’t have class, and he had no students, the prosecutor's office said.
Forensic searches of the teacher and student’s cell phones by Seminole County Sheriff’s Office investigators revealed photos, videos and text messages depicting their sexual activity, including in the classroom, the prosecutor's office said.
What's next:
Colon's sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 8 at 1:30 p.m.
The Source: Information in this story is sourced from a Office of the State Attorney Nov. 14 press release.