SPRING HILL, Fla. (WFLA) — New details have emerged, explaining why a Hernando County, Florida middle school teacher found himself without a job and behind bars Monday, with the possibility of soon being deported from the U.S.
The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office said its investigation began after deputies learned of allegations that Jonathan Rowe, 45, a math teacher at Explorer K-8, had shown nude photos of himself to one of his students.
The 15-year-old student told detectives he was in Rowe’s classroom during a planning period. He and Rowe had recently taken a photo together, and when the student asked to see it, Rowe began scrolling through images on his phone.
Rowe would occasionally stop scrolling, pausing on what appeared to be photos of his genitalia, the student reported.
The teacher then asked the 15-year-old to take his phone into the school bathroom and take pictures of his own genitalia to then show him, according to the sheriff’s office. Authorities said the student refused to do as asked.
Investigators conducted an interview with Rowe, during which they said he admitted to having nude photos on his phone but declined to answer whether he had showed them to the student.
The middle school teacher was arrested at his Spring Hill home on Monday on charges of distributing obscene material to a minor and using a two-way device during the commission of a felony.
A spokesperson for the Hernando County School District confirmed Rowe had been employed as a middle school teacher at Explorer K-8 since August. His profile on the school’s website showed he taught math for grades six through eight.
He was terminated last week on Wednesday, May 14 and “will not be allowed to return,” according to the school district.
“The Hernando County School District is committed to fostering a safe learning environment with a zero-tolerance stance against those who put our students’ well-being in jeopardy,” a spokesperson for the school district wrote in an email.
The sheriff’s office said Rowe is a citizen of Jamaica and was in the United States on a J-1 visa — a type of visa that allows foreign nationals to enter the U.S. for educational or exchange programs.
Authorities said Tuesday that Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were notified for the purposes of starting the deportation process.
No other victims have been identified, according to the sheriff’s office. However, the investigation remained ongoing Tuesday.
Anyone who has additional information is asked to call the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office at 352-754-6830.
Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Hernando County Crime Stoppers by calling 1-866-990-TIPS (8477). To leave a tip online, click here. Tipsters may be eligible for a $5,000 reward.