Orange County middle school teacher charged with federal sex crimes involving minor
Teacher charged with federal sex crimes involving minor
A middle school teacher in Orange County has been charged with federal sex crimes involving a child, according to court documents. 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.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - Update (2/10): A federal judge denied bail for Italo Rafael Brett Bonini and ordered that he remain in detention. "No condition of combination of conditions of release will reasonably assure the safety of any other person and the community," the judge said in court documents.
The hearing lasted a total of 1 hour and 14 minutes.
Bonini, a former music teacher at Hunter's Creek Middle School in Orange County, Florida, faces a charge of coercion or enticement of a minor using a facility of interstate commerce. Bonini allegedly communicated with at least two boys via Discord and promised "video game currency" in exchange for sexual acts.
Original story
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.
Brett Bonini, a middle school teacher in Orange County, has been charged with federal sex crimes involving a child, according to court documents.
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.
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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.