LAKE MARY, Fla. — A Lake Mary High School teacher was arrested this week after being accused of sending inappropriate texts to a student.

What You Need To Know

  •  Lake Mary High School teacher Richard Colon was arrested on Thursday after being accused of sending inappropriate texts to a student

  • During his first appearance Friday, a judge set his bond at $80,000 and ordered that he have no contact with the alleged victim, no contact with minors, no contact with Lake Mary High School, and to have no access to electric devices with the ability to access the internet

  • His arraignment is scheduled for Nov. 1

Seminole County Public Schools says Richard Colon was placed on administrative leave after the allegations were made.

According to a Seminole County Sheriff's Office arrest report, Colon was accused of having "sexual conversations" with a student via text starting in July. 

"During these conversations, Colon would explicitly describe sexual activity involving himself and (the student) and indicated a desire to partake in these activities," the report said.

On July 30, he is accused of sending the student a photo of himself with his genitals exposed. Investigators said the texts "culminated on September 28" when he allegedly invited the student to his Lake County home "for sexual activity."

Colon was arrested by the Seminole County Sheriffs Office and charged with distributing obscene material to a minor and having obscene communication to seduce a child.

According to the Seminole County Public Schools, Colon has been at Lake Mary High since 2001, where he was a former teacher of the year. After spending the night in jail, Colon made his first appearance in court Friday.

Joshua Butler is a student in Colon’s AP Human Geography class. He said that when he saw the email about his teachers arrest, it didn’t surprise him.

“Every time, like before or after class, he was hugging girls,” Butler said. “Before class he would come in, hug a girl, and when they came after class, he would hug them and say hello.”

Friday at Lake Mary High, Butler said a pair of district employees come to Colon’s class and asked if any students needed to come forward or speak to a counselor.

“They asked me a few questions, if I, like, expected it,” Butler said.

The judge at Colon’s first appearance said that if released, the Lake Mary teacher can have no contact with the alleged victim, minors and Lake Mary High School, and is not allowed to have access to electric devices with the ability to access the internet. Joshua’s father hopes he doesn’t see Colon return to class anytime soon admitting he wouldn’t feel comfortable.

Colon's bond was set at $80,000.