A 28-year-old teacher at Nimitz Middle School was arrested after he reportedly exposed himself on Snapchat to a 13-year-old girl student.
Jovan Jacob Pando was charged with online solicitation of a minor under 14, a second-degree felony.
According to a press release issued by ECISD, Pando was placed on administrative leave when the school became aware of the allegation and the school has been working with the police since that time.
ECISD issued a statement in response to Jovan’s arrest: “The professional expectations for our staff members are very clear, and this type of behavior will not be tolerated. The safety of our students is top priority, and we will continue to work with law enforcement as they investigate this situation.”
On Sept. 17, the Odessa Police Department was informed of a 13-year-old girl from Nimitz Middle School who reported to ECISD Police inappropriate communication from her math teacher via Snapchat messenger, an OPD probable cause affidavit stated.
The girl reportedly told ECISD Police that in the end of August 2021 she received a friend request from a username she didn’t recognize. The girl reported upon accepting the friend request she received a video Snap message from a person she identified to be her math teacher, Pando, exposing himself to her.
The girl reportedly stated she blocked Pando in response to the video, the affidavit stated. The girl stated the Snapchat video didn’t save.
A Harmony Home forensic child interview was held with the girl on Oct. 5, the affidavit stated. The girl provided a detailed outcry of the conduct from Pando and the background of the room where Pando captured the video and sent to her.
The girl reportedly detailed after Pando sent her a friend request, he submitted a fixed 5-second Snapchat video of him sitting in a chair facing a mirror exposing himself. The girl identified the wall, chair and door color as well as other details of the room where the video was captured.
On Oct. 7, a search warrant was executed at the residence of Pando, the affidavit stated. The bedroom he identified to be his was searched and the room was observed to be as specifically as described by the girl.
On Oct. 8, Nimitz ECISD administration was reportedly contacted and confirmed that Pando didn’t have the 13-year-old girl assigned to him in a class last year when virtual classes were held for this school. Administration additionally confirmed that there had not been any Zoom virtual classes this year when the girl was a student of Pando’s, which negates any claim that the girl had knowledge of Pando’s bedroom through online zoom classes.
During the investigation, it was identified that Pando had three previous incidents reported against him by family, the affidavit stated. These allegations by family were made surrounding inappropriate communication of offensive contact by Pando toward three minor siblings. The conduct investigated against Pando was determined to be grooming in nature, but not yet criminal.
Pando was arrested and booked into the Ector County Law Enforcement Center on Thursday, jail records show. He had one bond totaling $40,000 and posted bail the same day.
