Idylwild teacher arrested for stalking student

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Brandon Jo Finley, 28, a long-term substitute teacher at Idylwild Elementary, was arrested early Saturday morning and charged with stalking an 11-year-old Idylwild student.

An Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy began investigating the case on January 19 and reportedly learned that Finley had approached the girl on January 18 while she was alone at school and said he would be in her neighborhood later and would meet her to give her something when she got off the bus. The girl reported that this terrified her because she didn’t know how Finley would know where she lived. She said that when she got off the bus, Finley called out to her from his car, which was parked inside the apartment complex, not at the bus stop.

The girl said Finley gave her a notebook and some candy, and she reportedly said that this “confused and disturbed” her and that she was “unfocused and in distress” for the rest of the day.

The next day, January 19, Finley allegedly found the girl alone again and asked her if she had looked in the back of the book; she said she hadn’t. He allegedly told her to look for his message when she got home, and when she opened the book, she found a phone number. The deputy reported that this was an “app-generated” number. The girl reportedly called the number, but nobody answered; she then received a text that said, “who is this,” and when she responded with her name, the reply said, “well only text here. No calls. Okay?” She responded, “ok.”

The deputy reported that Finley then sent a series of instructions to the victim via text message and wrote, “Also, we have to be sure to never discuss texting in person. And never tell or show anyone. Save the number under something you’ll remember so you are able to delete the messages.” He also allegedly told her to “rip that paper out and throw it away” and wrote, “This is not something I’ve done with anyone else. Mfer could get in trouble. Don’t tell ya mom, anyone at school, nobody. Deal?”

The girl reportedly told Finley that she was scared and uncomfortable and didn’t want to talk to him anymore; she reportedly told the deputy that she was very distressed by Finley’s actions and was terrified that he knew where she lived.

Post Miranda, Finley reportedly admitted using the phone number to message the girl. He denied any sexual intentions but reportedly changed his story throughout the interview and contradicted statements he’d previously made. He reportedly said he gave her the book with his phone number at school, then later admitted he gave it to her in her neighborhood. He reportedly claimed to be waiting for a friend at the apartment complex but later admitted he never had any plans to meet the friend. He reportedly said he saw the girl at a bus stop on his daily commute to Idylwild, but the bus stop includes children from several neighborhoods, and Finley reportedly would not say how he knew where the girl lived. He reportedly said he knew it was wrong to communicate with her and tell her to hide the messages.

Finley has been charged with aggravated stalking of a child under 16 years old.

Finley has a juvenile conviction from 2004 but no adult criminal convictions. Judge Sheree Lancaster set bail at $250,000.

Jackie Johnson from Alachua County Public Schools told Alachua Chronicle that Finley was terminated on Saturday.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.