An arrest affidavit has shed light on a collection of charges being levied against a 43-year-old coordinator at Celebration High School, who allegedly withheld hall passes and pressured students experiencing trauma and seeking guidance to send him sexualized photos of themselves.
Last week, Osceola County authorities released two arrest affidavits in the case of Samuel Enrique Figueroa, who was taken into custody on April 6. Figueroa is facing 13 felony charges, including sexual assault and battery on a minor, as well as multiple counts of lewd and lascivious molestation.
In the first affidavit, a female student claims that she approached Figueroa regarding photographs of herself that another student had altered and disseminated to others in order to bully her. During the incident, which took place in January 2023, Figueroa began asking for additional photographs of herself, including “when she would get ready for work.”
The student told police that after she disclosed to Figueroa that she was moving to Tampa later this year, he indicated that he would visit her there. Figueroa allegedly told the student that they could “go on their first date” and that they “could drink and smoke” during his visit.
During her interview with police, the student stated that Figueroa would comment on the clothing she was wearing and how it looked on her body. He would solicit photos from her while at school, as well as while she was getting ready for work, referring to the photos as her “new daily routine.” In some instances, when the student would make excuses in an attempt to not take or send photographs, Figueroa would give her his personal cell phone to take the photos.
In a second arrest affidavit, a separate student victim claims that after she read about Figueroa’s arrest in the news and on social media, she decided to come forward with details about inappropriate interactions she had with Figueroa over the course of her final two years in high school.
The victim, who met Figueroa in 2021 during her junior year while she was 17-years-old, said she was very close to Figueroa because he was one of the “cooler” teachers. The student said she sought help and motivation from Figueroa because she was failing school.
During their conversations, the student said that Figueroa “would be really motivating” and would allow her to “talk if she was feeling heavy.”
The victim said that over time, the relationship became uncomfortable, as Figueroa would ask for photographs and would direct her to go to a bathroom to take the photos with his phone.
Beginning in August 2021 and continuing through May 2022, the student would send daily photographs to Figueroa. Whenever she tried to refuse, Figueroa would not write hall passes for the victim, effectively preventing her from returning to class.
During her interview with police, the victim broke down in tears and said she felt “disgusted” in herself for sending the pictures to Figueroa. She indicated she felt like “she was an object” and as if “she had no worth to her,” according to the arrest affidavit. The victim said she regretted not speaking up sooner so as to prevent Figueroa from interacting with other girls and making them feel uncomfortable “to wear certain clothes in front of a teacher.”
During a press conference on Thursday, April 6, Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez provided additional details in the case, claiming that two other students had come forward and disclosed that Figueroa touched them in a sexual way. Lopez says that several female students came forward after a parent filed a complaint accusing Figueroa of having inappropriate conversations with her daughter. Those students all provided similar accounts accusing Figueroa of making sexual comments or touching them inappropriately during their interactions with him.
Lopez says all of the victims that have been identified by police are between the ages of 15 and 18.
“He has abused his power, he has abused his position, and is a sexual deviant who was lurking in our schools,” said Lopez.
Figueroa was terminated from his position at the school on March 29, 2023. He is currently being held at the Osceola County Jail on 13 felony charges. His bond was set at $201,650.