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Buchanan Middle aide used Instagram to seek nude photos, sex from students, deputies say

 
Quinton J. Bradford, a 24-year-old aide at Buchanan Middle School in Tampa, used Instagram to seek nude photos and sex from students, investigators said. [Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office]
Quinton J. Bradford, a 24-year-old aide at Buchanan Middle School in Tampa, used Instagram to seek nude photos and sex from students, investigators said. [Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office]
Published Dec. 12, 2017

TAMPA — A 24-year-old aide at Buchanan Middle School was arrested Monday and charged with using Instagram to ask for sex and nude photos from female students at the school, deputies said.

Between Sept. 1 and the time of his arrest, Quinton J. Bradford used the social media application to ask one of the girls for nude photos and sex, and a second girl for nude photos, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. Both girls are 13, deputies said.

Bradford befriended one of the girls on Instagram and sent her a direct message complimenting her looks and later asking for nude photographs, an arrest report says.

The girl sent Bradford two photos of her wearing skimpy shorts. Bradford then asked her to meet him for sex, according to the report. The encounter never occurred, the Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

During the same period, Bradford sent the second girl a message complimenting her looks and later asked for nude photographs on three occasions, the report says.

Detectives first became aware of Bradford on Monday, after they were called to the school by administrators concerned about "improper photos" of him circulating among students, the news release said. At least one of the photos was of Bradford's body, copied from his Instagram account, Sheriff's Office spokesman Danny Alvarez said.

Detectives met with one of the girls at her home about 4 p.m. Monday. While they were there, the arrest report says, Bradford contacted her asking for nude photos. About 5:45 p.m., the detectives met with Bradford at Buchanan Middle School, 1001 W Bearss Ave., and he admitted asking for nude photographs from both girls, according to the report.

Bradford was booked into the Hillsborough County jail and charged with four counts of using computer services to attempt to solicit a minor. He was released Tuesday after posting $30,000 bail, records show.

Bradford has been employed by the school district since September 2014 as a paraprofessional at Buchanan, a position similar to a teacher's aide, district spokeswoman Tanya Arja said in an email. He was removed from the school pending a meeting with the district's Office of Professional Standards and resigned effective Tuesday, Arja said.

Contact Tony Marrero at tmarrero@tampabay.com or (813) 226-3374. Follow @tmarrerotimes.