Camilo Ernesto Pina, a 21-year-old former volunteer at John I. Leonard High School, has been charged with sexual conduct with a 16-year-old student. The relationship, which began in early 2025 while Pina was volunteering with the school's band, and later while he was receiving payments and eventually became an employee, came to light during an interview with a Palm Beach County School District Police officer in August 2025, CBS12 reported.
According to the same report, Pina initially denied his involvement but later confessed to the relationship. A probable cause affidavit, obtained by CBS12, mentioned Pina had consistent access to students and contributed to the band's instructional team. The student also confessed that they had engaged in "touching" and "oral stuff" outside of school hours. Despite these early revelations, the arrest did not occur until several months later, on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, WFLX reported that the student, during a forensic interview with the Child Protection Team, characterized her relationship with Pina as "romantic" and "physical," detailing frequent communications including video calls in which she showed Pina her "bare body." The incidents of sexual conduct purportedly took place in Pina's car between the end of the school day and marching band practice.
The charge—offense against students by authority figures—is a felony in the state of Florida. Pina was recognized as a staff member, and the band director, Milton Joselyn, confirmed to investigators that Pina was an unofficial volunteer who later became an officially paid volunteer. "Both she and Camilo consented to the sexual conduct they engaged in," the student told investigators, a fact that doesn't negate the illegality due to the student's age and Pina's position of authority, as reported by WFLX.
In response to the arrest, John I. Leonard High School principal Dr. Jesús Armas emphasized that student safety remains the top priority. He confirmed that Pina has not been on campus since August 2025 and encouraged anyone with relevant information to contact School Police.
