BRADFORD COUNTY, Fla. – A Bradford Middle School teacher was arrested on Monday and accused of engaging in online sexual activity with a student, according to the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies said Matthew Dawson Watson, 27, turned himself in on a Bradford County warrant issued on Friday.
Recommended Videos
According to the arrest warrant, deputies believe that on or between Dec. 1, 2024, and Feb. 12, Watson “intentionally” engaged in sexual activity online for the victim to view.
The victim was under the age of 16 at the time of the incident, according to officials.
The initial report was made to a Bradford Middle School employee on Feb. 12 and Watson was immediately placed on administrative leave, deputies said.
Watson resigned from the Bradford County school system before his arrest. He had been working for the Bradford County School District since August 2022 as a 7th and 8th grade Social Studies teacher.
According to district officials, there were no other complaints or investigations in his personnel file.
The district also sent the following statement regarding Watson’s arrest.
We have been made aware of the recent arrest of a former Bradford County School District employee. While we cannot share details due to the ongoing investigation and privacy concerns, we can confirm that the moment the district was made aware of the allegations, we responded swiftly and in full accordance with district policy. The individual was immediately placed on administrative leave and the matter was referred to law enforcement.
The safety and well-being of our students and staff remains our top priority. We are committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and supportive environment in all our schools. We understand that situations like this can raise concern within our community and we appreciate your trust and support as authorities continue their work.
Karen Clarke, Bradford County School District deputy superintendent
News4JAX spoke with the mother of a student who said an investigator called her and asked to interview her daughter about an inappropriate teacher-student relationship. Her daughter is not the victim in this case, but according to the mom, Watson is believed to have been trying to target her.
To protect the identity of her daughter and the victim, we are not identifying the woman News4JAX spoke with.
“The victim’s mom reached out to me and told me what she saw about my daughter in the victim’s phone,” she said. “He was talking to students through social media and was asking inappropriate questions about my daughter.”
Watson was charged with transmission of live sexual conduct over a computer and offenses against students by authority figures.
He is currently being held at the Bradford County Jail on a $500,000 bond.
News4JAX reached out to the school district for comment and we are waiting to hear back.