Florida High School Teacher Charged With Sexual Battery After An Underage Student Was Found In His Apartment

Philip Velez, 28, is facing three counts of sexual battery and one count of soliciting and engaging in sexual misconduct by an authority figure after police found him having sexual intercourse with a 17-year-old student in his apartment on Saturday.

According to People, police were sent to the apartment because the minor’s family members became suspicious about her whereabouts after a tracking device on her phone indicated she was at a Hollywood apartment complex.

Police stated that the two met in November at a fundraiser and have reportedly had sexual intercourse and engaged in other sexual acts at least four or five times. When police arrived at Velez’s apartment, he identified the minor as his girlfriend, which was deemed false according to WSVN.

In court on Monday, Velez’s defense attorney argued that because the minor was within two months of turning 18, the case should be viewed as a mitigating circumstance.

Velez was released from jail on an $85,000 bond Monday evening.