Teacher accused of sex with 15-year-old student

A teacher at a charter high school is accused of having sexual encounters with a 15-year-old girl in his classroom, in his car and on a roof.

Roman Jose Fondon, Jr., 28, of Pembroke Pines, was arrested Wednesday. He was a substitute teacher at the Ben Gamla Preparatory Academy, a charter school in Hollywood, police said.

Between Feb. 26 and April 30, Fondon is accused of having five sexual encounters with the girl.

Those meetings happened in his classroom; in his car while it was parked at the YMCA in Hollywood and outside a movie theater at Aventura Mall; and at her home, in a bedroom and at 2 a.m. on the roof the condominium, an arrest warrant said.

The warrant described numerous messages between the teen, then 15, and Fondon, who was 27 at the time. Some nights the pair communicated until 4 a.m.. They chatted in cellphone texts and through direct messages on Instagram and exchanged nude photos via the Internet.

In messages, Fondon wrote, “I mean, I like being risky. Thank God we didn’t get caught, though” and, “Why couldn’t u just be like 19 or 20 lol,” according to the warrant.

Investigators also used the teen’s diary entries as evidence and video recorded by a neighbor’s doorbell that showed the teacher and student going into the teen’s home, the warrant said.

A detective testified during a court hearing Thursday that search warrants were pending for additional social media accounts.

Defense attorney Eric Schwarztreich said Fondon did not have a criminal record and he lives with his parents, Roman and Theresa Fondon. The couple was in court for the hearing.

“My son is a stand-up citizen,” a tearful Theresa Fondon told Judge Kim Theresa Mollica. “I do not believe these allegations whatsoever . ... He doesn’t go out at night. He’s a very good young man with a college education. And he helps everyone in the community. These are fantasies and false accusations.”

As his mother spoke in his defense, Fondon briefly hung his head.

Fondon faces three counts of sexual battery on a victim older than 12 and younger than 18, and three counts of lewd or lascivious battery on a child older than 12 but under the age of 16.

Mollica ordered Fondon held without bond until he sees his trial judge. She also ordered him to not contact the girl or her family or to call, text, write or use social media to connect with them. She also instructed Fondon to not contact any minors and if he is released on bond, he is to be fitted with a GPS monitor. Fondon also was barred from using the Internet and from possessing firearms, ammunition or weapons.

The teen’s mother brought the situation to the attention of authorities, and Hollywood police received the case in August, Officer Christian Lata said.

Ben Gamla Preparatory Academy is at 2650 Van Buren St. Email and telephone messages left for the principal were not returned.

Police ask anyone with information about the case to call 954-967-4636.