SPRING HILL, Fla. – An Explorer K-8 teacher, Jonathan Rowe, 45, was arrested Monday on felony charges of Showing Obscene Material to a Minor and Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Device. The arrest stems from an incident on May 13, 2025, when a 15-year-old student reported that Rowe showed him pictures of his genitalia on his cell phone.
According to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred in Rowe’s classroom during his planning period. The student told investigators that he had previously taken a photo with Rowe in the classroom and asked to view it. As Rowe scrolled through his phone, the student stated that he stopped on multiple photos that the student believed were of Rowe’s genitalia.
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The student further alleged that Rowe then asked him to take the cell phone into the bathroom to take pictures of his own genitalia to show Rowe, a request the student refused.
When questioned by investigators, Rowe admitted to having pictures of his genitalia on his phone but declined to answer whether he showed them to the student.
Rowe, a citizen of Jamaica currently in the United States on a J-1 visa for educational or exchange programs, has been employed as a teacher at Explorer K-8 since the beginning of the current school year. He was taken into custody at his Spring Hill home and transported to the Hernando County Detention Center, where he is being held on a $25,000 bond.
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Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) within the U.S. Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been notified of the incident and is pursuing a detainer, which would initiate the deportation process.
While no other victims have been identified at this time, the investigation remains active. The Sheriff’s Office urges anyone with information pertaining to this incident to contact them at 352-754-6830. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Hernando County Crime Stoppers by calling 1-866-990-TIPS (8477) or dialing **TIPS from a cell phone.
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