Pasco teacher arrested in sexual battery of student, deputies say

A 32-year-old former Pinellas County teacher was arrested Saturday on three counts of sexual battery against a student, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.

Kyle Handfield, who currently teaches in Pasco County, was arrested Saturday around 12 p.m. on three counts of sexual battery by a custodial authority. An investigation found that Handfield had a relationship with a 14-year-old student from 2017 to 2018 while he was a teacher at Pinellas Park Middle School.

The investigation began Jan. 7 after detectives were informed of the relationship, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said. The investigation found that Handfield communicated with the victim through social media. The victim told detectives that Handfield engaged in inappropriate sexual activity with her while she was a student at Pinellas Park Middle School. Handfield was the girl’s teacher.

Detectives said they corroborated the victim’s statement and arrested Handfield.

Handfield was a teacher at Pinellas Park Middle School from March 2015 until August 2020. Handfield has been employed with Pasco County Schools at Fivay High School since August 2020.

Fivay principal Jason Joens posted information about the arrest on that school’s Facebook page. He wrote that Handfield has been the school’s band director since 2020 and that he has been placed on administrative leave.

Detectives are not aware of other possible victims. Handfield has no prior record of arrests in Pinellas, Pasco or Hillsborough counties, according to court records. Anyone with more information is asked to call the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, Crimes Against Children Unit, at 727-582-6566.