A Spanish teacher at a middle school in Orange County is being accused of recording and touching multiple female students inappropriately, including one instance in which he grabbed a student’s buttocks as she entered class.
On Wednesday, May 10, Orange County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested 45-year-old Javier Fernando Romero-Gonzalez at his Orlando home on multiple charges of lewd or lascivious conduct by a school authority figure and other sex offenses.
Romero-Gonzalez, who worked as a Spanish teacher at Innovation Middle School (13950 Storey Park Boulevard), was accused by multiple students of having inappropriate contact with them and of recording them with his cellphone on multiple occasions.
According to an arrest affidavit filed with the Orange County Clerk of Courts, on April 12, the school resource officer assigned to the school was notified by school administration of an incident involving two students. The girls told school officials that their seventh period Spanish teacher, who was identified as Romero-Gonzalez, had been taking photos and videos of them and other students during class.
The two students provided details regarding one instance dating back to the beginning of March 2023. During that incident, the female students were waiting for the bell at the end of class when they starting doing a dance that they had been working on. While the girls were dancing, Romero had his phone in his hand and appeared to be recording the dance.
After returning from Spring Break over a week later, the girls once again rehearsed a dance awaiting the dismissal bell. After finishing the dance, another student in the class told the students that Romero had been filming them again.
The students told police that Romero would “routinely take videos and photos of female students,” according to the arrest report. Romero would allegedly hold his phone in front of him, at his waistline, and would also set the phone up on his desk.
In a separate incident, one of the girls says she was returning to the classroom from the restroom when Romero touched her buttocks and back as she entered the room. Although she said that Romero only touched her in that area one time, she said he would routinely place his hands on the hips of the student and “lean over her while she” was working.
During interviews with at least four other students who witnessed incidents involving Romero, police were able to confirm that Romero would frequently film students in class and would touch their hips. In a group chat between multiple female students, the girls discussed the incidents.
Another student described Romero as “touchy,” saying he would place his arm around female students’ shoulders and pat them on the head. One student indicated that the experience made her “feel like the classroom was not a safe place.”
Police made contact with Romero through his attorney on April 25. The attorney, Jose Rivas, told authorities that Romero would not be making any statements to law enforcement.
Romero-Gonzalez was arrested on May 10 and taken to Orange County Jail. He was issued a bond of $40,000.
