Cops: Broward Junior Academy teacher admits sex with teen
A married Broward Junior Academy teacher admitted to a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old eighth-grade student who he told police “understood him” and met his emotional needs, according to an arrest report.
The report also says Lauderhill resident Daniel Azemar told Plantation police in the audio- and video-recorded interview that he began the relationship with the girl when she was 13.
Azemar, a 6-foot-1, 348pound 34-year-old, remains in Broward County’s Paul Rein Detention Facility on eight counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a victim between 12 and 16; four counts of lewd and lascivious molestation by an adult on a minor between 12 and 16; and one count of sexual assault by a custodial adult, sexual battery by a victim between 12 and 18.
The Miami native’s bond is $400,000.
Plantation cops say they have Snapchat messages from Azemar to the girl relating that he’s had his “eyes on her” since she was in fifth grade, that he loves her and wants to marry her. One Snapchat message quoted in the arrest report says: “From the time I saw you, I wanted you. You were in fifth grade sitting outside. I don’t know what it is, I have had it bad for you since then. Then, when they asked me to teach sixth grade, I was excited because I knew you would be there and I have been trying to get your attention ever since.”
This came to light, the arrest report says, after the girl’s mother decided to snoop on the girl’s phone after seeing the girl texting at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday. She saw her daughter’s conversations with “James” discussed sexual acts. The girl told her mother that “James” was Azemar, in his third year as her teacher, according to police.
Then, she told police that since the start of the school year, she and Azemar have had sex “more than she can count” at the school.
Along with the Snapchat messages, police found messages between the girl and Azemar about their sexual relationship, the report details.
He was brought in for questioning Friday and arrested the same day
David J. Neal: @DavidJNeal