Substitute teacher accused of having sexual relationship with 15-year-old girl

Former FIU pitcher Roman Jose Fondon Jr. substituted at Hollywood charter school

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – A former college baseball player and substitute teacher at a Hollywood charter school was arrested Wednesday after it was revealed he had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl, police said.

Roman Jose Fondon Jr., 28, was arrested on three counts of sexual battery on a minor and three counts of lewd or lascivious battery on a minor.

According to a Hollywood police report, Fondon met the girl while working as a substitute teacher at Ben Gamla Preparatory Academy.

Police said the girl provided a recorded statement to detectives in which she admitted that she and Fondon started following each on Instagram and sent private messages to one another through the social media site. She said they exchanged messages late into the night and would visit each other in his classroom during the school day.

The girl told police that their first sexual encounter took place in April or May in his classroom, when she met him there instead of going to lunch. She said they had oral sex in the classroom and again later the same day in his car after he picked her up from school and took her to the parking lot of a nearby YMCA.

According to the report, they performed oral sex on each other in the parking lot of an Aventura movie theater on another occasion, during which time he "slapped her across the face and tied her up."
The girl told police they met again at her home in Hallandale Beach, having oral sex while her mother wasn't there.

She said they had sex on their last encounter, this time on the roof of her condominium. She told police that "Fondon brought toys, but she said no to one of them."

According to the report, the girl was afraid that she was pregnant and took a pregnancy test at home while her mother was at work. The test was negative.

Police said Fondon and the girl exchanged naked pictures of each other via social media.

"We're asking parents to be vigilant of what their children are doing online," Hollywood police Officer Christian Lata said. 

Fondon is a former Florida International University pitcher who played for the Panthers from 2009-12. He finished his career with a 24-19 record and a 4.38 ERA, striking out 226 batters.

Fondon has been ordered held without bond.