A Florida middle school teacher is facing serious charges after allegedly sending an explicit photo and engaging in inappropriate communication with a student over a period of several months. Oliver Fell, 28, has been charged with lewd conduct with a student by an authority figure and transmission of harmful material to a minor, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) confirmed in a press release this week.
Lewd conduct, in this context, includes soliciting or engaging in a romantic relationship with a student, a serious violation of both legal and ethical standards for educators. The investigation began on March 3, when a middle school student approached a school resource deputy to report inappropriate communications with Fell that allegedly began over three months earlier.
According to authorities, the student claimed that Fell had contacted him through social media platforms and, in early January, sent an “explicit photo” via Snapchat. The report was immediately referred to the school district and the MCSO’s Crimes Against Children Unit, which launched a thorough investigation.
Detectives secured a search warrant for Fell’s phone and, according to the release, found evidence corroborating the student’s allegations. Investigators also confirmed that a nude photo, described as “an explicit photo of a nude breast” and found on the student’s phone, belonged to the teacher.”
Additional information gathered in early May reportedly strengthened the case, though officials have not disclosed specific details. On June 2, a warrant for Fell’s arrest was issued, and she turned herself in to authorities later that same day. Fell is currently being held in the Manatee County Jail on a $2,500 bond.
She has not yet entered a plea and does not have legal representation at this time. In response to the arrest, Irene Nikitopoulos, principal of Carlos E. Haile Middle School where Fell was employed, issued a letter to parents addressing the disturbing allegations.
“It took several weeks of investigation to confirm the allegations of the illegal communications,” she wrote. “Once law enforcement had sufficient confirmation, our school and district were informed, and Ms. Fell was immediately reassigned to a position away from our school where she had no contact with students.”
Nikitopoulos emphasized the district’s full cooperation with the ongoing investigation. The case remains active, and further legal proceedings are expected in the coming weeks as authorities continue to review evidence and determine whether additional charges may be filed.