An arrest was made of a middle school educator for reportedly engaging in an inappropriate sexual incident with a student at the school premises, filming the encounter, and distributing it to the young victim.
The disturbing occurrences with Dagoberto Miguel Pena, originally from the Dominican Republic, and the student supposedly occurred from March 2024 to April 2025.
The young victim, who has not been identified by name or age, admitted to authorities that she engaged in sexual activities with 36-year-old Pena on four occasions, as per details from the Punta Gorda Police Department.
Authorities were made aware of the incident after the student’s mother found the inappropriate text messages on her daughter’s phone on April 26, NBC affiliate WBBH reported.
In the text messages, Pena allegedly told the girl, “U look gorgeous,” and requested pictures of her.
On April 28, the victim admitted to her parents that she had sex with the teacher and that she had deleted more than 400 text messages between the two.
The student from Charlotte County, Florida, about 24 miles north of Fort Myers, told investigators that the first intercourse occurred at a “game.”
Pena was a teacher at Punta Gorda Middle School and an assistant basketball coach at Charlotte High School, according to the affidavit.
The victim told authorities she did not report the incident because Pena told her he “could go to jail if anyone found out.”
The police report detailed another encounter that occurred on a training table after a 5:30 am workout on school property, she told police.
A third instance of intercourse occurred in an office on school grounds.
Details about the fourth incident were not disclosed in the police report, according to the outlet.
The last intercourse with Pena occurred two months before his April 29 arrest, the victim told her parents.
During their encounters, Pena allegedly gave the girl expensive sneakers and apparel.
Pena allegedly video recorded the pair’s encounters and shared them with the young victim.
In one instance, the middle school teacher allegedly sent the girl a video of one of their intercourses followed by a text that read, “Erase!!”
Students witnessed inappropriate behavior from Pena and the girl at the middle school, which included flirting, according to WBBH.
Pena was arrested on Tuesday and charged with lewd or lascivious battery on a person between 12 and 16 years old, and sexual offenses against students by authority figures.
He is being in the Charlotte County Jail without bond.
Pena played professional basketball in South America and Spain from 2014 to 2022.
He also suited up for the Dominican National Team and played in the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup and 2017 FIBA AmeriCUP.
He is also an alumnus of Charlotte County High School and played on the school’s basketball team.
Charges against Dagoberto Miguel Pena
Dagoberto Miguel Pena was charged with the following:
- Charged with lewd or lascivious battery on a person between 12 and 16 years old
- Charged with sexual offenses against students by authority figures
Pena is being held in the Charlotte County Jail without bond.
