Popular Bronx teacher arrested for paying teen boys for nudes

Jon Cruz, a teacher at the New York Bronx High School of Science, was arrested Friday, for posing as a teen online and paying underage boys to send him nude photos, the New York Post reports. Cruz taught social studies and also coached the school’s award-winning debate team.

Cruz allegedly used one of his student’s photos to create a Kik account. He used the text messaging service to convince underage boys to send him nude photos of themselves, paying them thousands of dollars. He would tell the victims he was a student at the Dalton School who had a “thing for jocks.”

According to The Huffington Post, Cruz paid one New Mexico teen $900 for photos of his feet and face, another teen $500 for nude photos and another victim $1600 in gift cards for photos.

Other teachers at the New York Bronx High School told the New York Daily News that they were “surprised” by the arrest. Cruz, who was apparently well liked by his colleagues, is now being held on $1 million bail.