Haile Middle School ESE Teacher Arrested for Explicit Social Media Communications with Minor Student

BRADENTON — A 28-year-old Manatee County School District middle school teacher was arrested on Monday, June 2, after turning herself in to authorities. Arrest warrants were issued for Oliver Fell, charging her with lewd contact with a student by an authority figure, a second-degree felony, and transmission of harmful material to a minor, a third-degree felony.

An investigation spanning several weeks was conducted after a 14-year-old Haile Middle School student reported that one of his teachers had shared explicit images and/or communications with him over social media. 

According to a press release issued by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office, on March 3, 2025, a school resource deputy from the MCSO learned from a male student at Haile Middle School that his teacher, Oliver Fell, had been communicating with the student through Snapchat since December 2024.

The student also alleged that the teacher sent him an explicit photo via the social media platform on January 2.

The school administration was informed of the allegations, and detectives from the MCSO Crimes Against Children Unit opened an investigation.

“Over the course of several weeks, detectives confirmed that the student had communicated with the teacher multiple times on social media, beginning in December 2024,” said the MCSO in a statement Tuesday. “After obtaining a search warrant and receiving permission to access data from phones and social media accounts, detectives discovered evidence indicating that the communications led to lewd conduct involving the victim.”

The investigation confirmed that the explicit photo of a nude breast belonged to the teacher, Oliver Fell, said officials with MCSO. 

On May 12, 2025, detectives received additional evidence from Snapchat that further strengthened the case, and this week (on June 2), arrest warrants were issued for the teacher. Later the same evening, Fell turned herself in to authorities and was booked at the Manatee County Jail.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Fell remained in law enforcement custody with a bond set at $2,500, according to information available on the MCSO website.

When reached for comment on the arrest and allegations, a representative of the Manatee School District provided copies of communications that Haile Middle School Principal Irene Nikitopoulos sent to parents regarding the investigation and subsequent arrest of Fell.

Based on information contained in the principal's messages, Fell was removed from the classroom and reassigned on May 14, just days after the MCSO stated that its detectives had received additional evidence that "strengthened the case."

On May 21, Haile Middle School Principal Nikitopoulos sent parents the following message:

“Haile Middle Parents,

I am calling to give you the facts about a staff member being investigated for alleged inappropriate posts on social media. The staff member was reassigned to a district site with no contact with students on Wednesday, May 14th, as soon as the investigation was brought to our attention by law enforcement.

The district and our school are fully cooperating with law enforcement in their investigation. Due to the ongoing investigation, we cannot comment further at this time. Thank you.”

Following Fell’s arrest, the principal sent a follow-up communication to parents on Tuesday, June 3: 

“Haile Middle Parents,

I am following up on a previous communication I sent about a staff member being investigated for alleged inappropriate posts on social media. The staff member, ESE Teacher Oliver Fell, turned herself into the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office last night and was subsequently arrested and charged with a second-degree felony and a third-degree felony. Both felonies have to do with illegal social media communications with a student at our school.  

As a media release from the Sheriff’s Office reports, it took several weeks of investigation to confirm the allegations of the illegal communications. Once law enforcement had sufficient confirmation, our school and district were informed, and Ms. Fell was immediately reassigned to a position away from our school where she had no contact with students. Our school and the district will continue to fully cooperate with the ongoing investigation.

If anyone has any additional information pertaining to this case, please contact the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.”

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office stated that the investigation remains ongoing, and no further information about the case or investigation was available as of Tuesday.