Christian Schneider, 31, a teacher at Memorial Middle School in Tampa, Florida, was arrested Friday on three felony charges, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
Detectives opened a criminal investigation into Schneider on July 28, after learning he had allegedly been sending inappropriate messages to a former student from Franklin Middle School. Schneider admitted to deputies that he had engaged in inappropriate communication with the student since 2023, authorities said.
The specific age of the student, how investigators were alerted to the communications, or the content of the messages have not been disclosed.
Schneider faces two counts of solicitation or possession of child sexual abuse material, both second-degree felonies, and one count of unlawful use of a two-way communications device, a third-degree felony. The booking records list July 3 as the offense date for each charge.
He was arrested shortly after noon on Friday and booked into jail that afternoon. Schneider was released on a combined $7,500 surety bond early Saturday morning.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister stated, "Teachers hold a position of trust that comes with enormous responsibility. When that trust is exploited, it's not just a crime, it's a violation of everything our schools are supposed to stand for. Detectives will continue investigating these cases aggressively, and anyone who abuses their position with a child will be held accountable."
The sheriff's office confirmed Schneider was a teacher at Memorial Middle School and the teenager was a former student. The agency has not provided further details regarding Schneider's connection to Franklin Middle School or the timeline of his teaching tenure there. The investigation remains active, and the sheriff's office indicated that more information will be released as it becomes available.