Orange County middle school teacher charged with federal sex crimes involving minor
The Brief
A Hunter's Creek Middle School music teacher faces federal charges for allegedly enticing a minor into sexual activity via the app Discord.
The FBI said it traced his IP address and said he admitted to deleting his account out of "disgust with himself."
Orange County Public Schools placed him on leave as the investigation continues.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - A middle school teacher in Orange County has been charged with federal sex crimes involving a child, according to court documents.
What we know
Prosecutors said Italo Rafael Brett Bonini, a music teacher at Hunter's Creek Middle School in Orange County, is facing felony charges for allegedly enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity. The victim is reported to be an 8-year-old boy.
Court documents reveal that Bonini is accused of using Discord, a messaging app popular among gamers, to communicate with children who were physically located in Maryland. Investigators with the Maryland State Police said Bonini solicited an 8-year-old boy to expose himself in exchange for video game currency. Bonini is also accused of exposing himself to the boy.
Authorities said they traced Bonini's IP address to a home in Florida, and FBI investigators said he admitted to owning and deleting a Discord account.
Orange County Public Schools confirmed that Bonini has been placed on administrative leave and will not return to the school during the investigation.
What we don't know
Bonini communicated with at least one other boy via Discord, according to court documents. It remains unclear if additional victims may be involved or if law enforcement has uncovered further evidence beyond Bonini's admission.
Officials have not explained how the investigation began — whether it stemmed from a complaint, an undercover operation, or other means. There is also no information yet on whether Bonini had a prior history of similar accusations.
The backstory
In January, a Maryland State Trooper responded to the report of a computer crime involving two child victims. The father of the children told the trooper that he discovered "disturbing messages" in a Discord chat. The Discord user chatting with the children was later identified at Bonini, authorities said.
With assistance from the FBI, authorities said they traced Bonini's IP address to a home in Florida and contacted local law enforcement.
Bonini worked as a music teacher at Hunter's Creek Middle School. His role in the school and how he interacted with students outside of class is not fully known but this particular interaction occurred online with a child in another state.
Discord, the app Bonini allegedly used, is widely used by children and teenagers for chatting while gaming. In recent years, law enforcement agencies have raised concerns about the platform's vulnerabilities, particularly in cases involving inappropriate communication between adults and minors.
What they're saying
The principal of Hunter's Creek Middle School sent a voice message to parents following the charges against Bonini, in which she said, "This individual will not be returning to the school during the investigation. Please be assured that we take all allegations very seriously, as the safety of our students and staff is always my top priority."
FBI agents stated that Bonini admitted to owning and deleting his Discord account and expressed remorse, telling investigators he, "fell into temptation that I should not have. I'm not a sick individual, I made a mistake."
Parents in the district like Diana Chacon said they are concerned.
"Teachers are the second parents," said Chacon. "To just go and feel like they can't be in a safe place is really scary."
Chacon said she is worried about her children talking to people online.
"You trust your kids, but then again you don't know who they're speaking with. It's just like these random people," she added. "These kids are innocent, and stuff, and really they're like it's just a game."
David Rivera is a father of a student in the district and he says the district should have a more thorough screening process when hiring teachers.
"They should do background checks for teachers," said Rivera. "Look at their social media. Who are they talking to."
Big picture view
The case highlights ongoing concerns about the safety of children in online spaces where adults can easily communicate with minors. As more children engage in online gaming and social networking, cases like this raise questions about the need for stronger safeguards and parental oversight.
What's next
Orange County Public schools say Bonini has been suspended and will not return to the school during the criminal investigation.
STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO:
Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines
Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar
Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines
FOX Local:Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV
The Source
This story was written based on information contained in documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida and Orange County Public Schools.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
11 minutes ago
- New York Post
Furious passenger calls in bomb threat to Spirit Airlines after showing up late and getting barred from flight: Feds
No one has ever been so eager to get on a Spirit Airlines flight. A passenger called in a bomb threat to the flight company as part of a bungled attempt to get revenge for not being allowed to board a plane in Michigan, according to the United States Attorney's Office. Charles Robinson, 23, had missed his chance to board the airline's Flight 2145 in Detroit — and then got into an argument with the customer service agents when they wouldn't let him board late, according to officials. Advertisement He was told at the gate that he needed to rebook, according to the United States Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Michigan. The FBI arrested Charles Robinson for allegedly calling in a fake bomb threat. FOX 2 Detroit Robinson then allegedly called in a bomb threat for his missed flight in a misguided attempt at revenge at 6:45 a.m., even going so far as to invent a bomber and giving authorities a detailed description of what he looked like, according to prosecutors. The passengers who had boarded the flight needed to deplane and the authorities brought in bomb sniffing dogs to look for explosives, prosecutors said. Advertisement 'No American wants to hear the words 'bomb' and 'airplane' in the same sentence,' U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. said in a press release. 'Making this kind of threat undermines our collective sense of security and wastes valuable law enforcement resources.' The FBI arrested Robinson at the airport when he tried to board another flight to Los Angeles, prosecutors said. Robinson, of Monroe, Michigan, was arrested on a criminal complaint for reporting a fake bomb threat for a flight, according to federal prosecutors. Police needed to clear a plane and search for explosives after federal officials said a disgruntled passenger called in a fake bomb threat. FOX 2 Detroit During the call reporting the fake bomb threat, Robinson allegedly said he was calling about Flight 2145 because he had information about that flight, according to prosecutors. Advertisement 'There's gonna be someone who's gonna try to blow up the airport,' he said, according to prosecutors. 'There's gonna be someone that's gonna try to blow up that flight, 2145.' After giving a description of the make-believe bomber, he then added: 'They're going to be carrying a bomb through the TSA,' he said, according to prosecutors. 'They're still threatening to do it, they're still attempting to do it, they said it's not going to be able to be detected. Please don't let that flight board.' Robinson appeared in federal court in Detroit Friday afternoon and was released on bond, according to prosecutors. His next court appearance will be on June 27 for a preliminary examination.
Fox News
31 minutes ago
- Fox News
DOJ identifies suspect accused of assaulting federal officer, as Trump vows tough response
Attorney General Pam Bondi said Monday that the suspect accused of assaulting a federal officer during the anti-ICE demonstrations in Los Angeles has been identified. U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli identified Elpidio Reyna as the suspect who was captured on video allegedly throwing rocks at federal officers in Paramount, California. The FBI initially asked for the public's help by offering a $50,000 cash reward for information leading to the man's arrest. He was accused of injuring a federal officer after throwing rocks at law enforcement vehicles, according to the FBI. Bondi was a guest on "Hannity" Monday night, when she broke the news to host Sean Hannity. "The FBI has identified him," Bondi said. "That guy has just been identified, and they are doing a search warrant on his house, as we speak. And he has been identified…his name is [Reyna]. He is going to be on the Most Wanted list. "He has been identified by the great police work by the FBI," she continued. "So, you can run, you can't hide. We are coming after you federally. If you assault a police officer, if you rob a store, if you loot, if you spit on police officers, we're coming after you." Bondi told Hannity that federal authorities have the ability to go after looters and those throwing Molotov cocktails and committing other crimes under the Hobbs Act. Those who loot a business in California, Bondi said, will face a maximum of 20 years in prison. Those who spit on federal law enforcement officers will also serve time. "As President Trump said: 'You spit, we hit,'" Bondi said. "Get ready. If you spit on a federal law enforcement officer, we are going to charge you with a crime federally. You are looking at up to five years maximum in prison." On Saturday at about 3:30 p.m., the now-identified suspect allegedly threw rocks at law enforcement vehicles on Alondra Blvd. in Paramount, California, resulting in injury to a federal officer and damage to government vehicles. The FBI said in a wanted poster that the suspect is considered armed and dangerous. FBI Director Kash Patel warned Saturday night, "if you assault a law enforcement officer, you're going to jail—period." "It doesn't matter where you came from, how you got here, or what cause you claim to represent," Patel told Fox News Digital. "If local jurisdictions won't stand behind the men and women who wear the badge, the FBI will." Patel also issued similar warnings on social media. "Doesn't matter where you came from, how you got here, or what movement speaks to you. If the local police force won't back our men and women on the thin blue line, we @FBI will," Patel wrote Saturday night on X.
Epoch Times
33 minutes ago
- Epoch Times
FBI Has Identified Masked Man Accused of Assaulting Federal Officer in LA: AG Bondi
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has identified the masked protester who is accused of assaulting a federal officer during heated demonstrations against federal immigration enforcement operations in Los Angeles, Attorney General Pam Bondi said during an appearance on 'Hannity' with Fox News on Monday night. 'The FBI has identified him,' Bondi said. 'That guy has just been identified, and they are doing a search warrant on his house as we speak ... His name is Reyes. He is going to be on the Most Wanted list.'
