Florida Teacher, 28, Faces Charges for Sending Explicit Photo to Middle School Student on Social Media

A Florida middle school teacher is facing serious charges after being accused of sending a nude image to a 14-year-old student, according to local authorities. The teacher, identified as 28-year-old Oliver Fell, worked at Carlos E. Haile Middle School in Brandenton. Fell is charged with lewd conduct with a student by an authority figure and transmission of harmful material to a minor, following an investigation by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

The case came to light on March 3, when the alleged victim reported the incident to a school resource deputy. According to investigators, Fell had allegedly been communicating with the student through Snapchat since December 2024. The inquiry began promptly, with detectives launching an extensive probe into the claims.

Authorities allege that on January 2, Fell sent an explicit photograph of her breasts to the student. The allegations were immediately passed on to the School District of Manatee County and the sheriff's office, triggering a collaborative investigation. Detectives, armed with a search warrant and consent to review data from electronic devices and social media accounts, reportedly uncovered evidence of inappropriate communications between the teacher and student.

"After obtaining a search warrant and receiving permission to access data from phones and social media accounts, detectives discovered evidence indicating that the communications led to lewd conduct involving the victim," stated a spokesperson for the sheriff's office. This evidence formed the basis for the charges now brought against Fell.

Fell surrendered to authorities on Monday after a warrant was issued for her arrest. She remains in custody with a bond set at $2,500. The swift action followed the accumulation of evidence over several weeks, according to officials involved in the investigation.

Irene Nikitopoulos, principal at Carlos E. Haile Middle School, issued a letter to parents acknowledging the situation. She explained that confirming the allegations required a thorough investigation, which took several weeks. During this period, Fell was reassigned pending the outcome of the inquiry. "The district continues to cooperate fully with law enforcement as the investigation proceeds," Nikitopoulos assured families.

This incident has renewed concerns over student safety and appropriate boundaries within schools. The school district has emphasized its ongoing commitment to the well-being of students and stated it will provide any necessary support to those affected while the legal process unfolds.