Teacher who allegedly transmitted naked photos to boy out on bail

Christy Lynn Martin, 32, who St. Petersburg police say used a cell phone to exchange pornographic photos with the boy last weekend, was released on $20,000 bail on Sunday.

The boy, an eighth-grader who is not being identified, also told investigators he and the Azalea Middle School teacher had a relationship.

"My understanding is he is not one of her current students, but may have been one in the past," said police spokesman Bill Proffitt.

Martin (pictured) sent photos of herself on Feb. 28 and March 1, an arrest affidavit says. The next day, the teen sent an image of himself to the teacher, the report says.

Police began their investigation early Saturday, after the boy told an adult relative about his relationship with Martin.

The relative told the boy's mother, who in turn notified authorities.

By Saturday afternoon, detectives had tracked down Martin. She admitted to sending the pictures, police said.

Martin began teaching as an Exceptional Student Education associate on Feb. 21, 2008, and was hired full time on Aug. 13, 2008.

According to information from Pinellas County schools spokesperson Andrea Zahn, Martin will be placed on administrative leave with pay, as is the district's standard procedure, pending the outcome of a school district investigation. She has not been the subject of any disciplinary actions as a teacher.

Martin was booked into the Pinellas County Jail shortly before 6 p.m. Saturday on charges of transmitting pornographic images through an electronic device and transmitting material harmful to a minor.

She did not return phone calls from St. Petersburg Times reporters.

Complete coverage: Teacher sex scandals

Kameel Stanley and Brant James, Times staff writers

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Comments

[mrknowitall]

Pinellas County schools spokesperson Andrea Zahn, Martin would be placed on administrative leave with pay !!!!!!!! Wow get perverted and get a free paid vacation at taxpayers expense. awesome

[Always playing Devils Advocate]

I am speechless, what is wrong with people I mean come on, she is pathetic I can't even find the words to express..

BS she should not be paid and she should be in jail...

[windowsugar]

gah she looks like every ganger on the street. In Hillsborough we get the hures and there they get the gangers.

HOME SCHOOL YOUR CHILDREN.

[chet]

If the word is exchanged, the boy may be 14 going on 21. Maybe the boy and his family should be investigated also.

[Hammer]

I’m often amazed at how many of these “educators” actually believe that such inappropriate behavior will go unnoticed; that they’re going to be the only one to get away with it; or that their secret is safe with an 8th grader.

I would not be surprised if she too, is deemed too pretty to go to jail.

[Kipp]

Good for him. For her....just pathetic.

[JustMe]

"By Saturday afternoon, detectives had tracked down Martin. She admitted to sending the pictures, police said."

By admitting to the police that she did send the photos.. my question to the school board is...
WHY IS SHE ON PAID LEAVE? What investigation is needed here? She has admitted guilt to the police. What a waste of my hard earned tax dollars. FIRE HER!!

[mrmiami33127]

im glad none of you all are teaching

[mrknowitall]

whats that mean mrmiami33127 we're suppose to feel sorry for her and continue paying her paid vacation. May be you don't pay taxes and her salary but a lot of us do.

[MrMiami33127]

yeah cant say that any of those comments would lead me to believe that any of you are better suited to teach, no matter how much your taxes contribute to the major peanuts they make

[RealityCheck]

Ok so who's to say she did not send it to the wrong #? She could be claiming that & that the reporter left that imformation out. She had not have prior contact with him as far as they know. I myself get alot of wrong #'s

[Sandy]

I have a 13-year old son in the PC schools,and I am not suprised at this story. Nothing seems to happen much to people who do these things. I have neighbor who video tapes my son and his friends playing outside and the police response is "as disgusting as it is it is not against the law", whose to say my son isn't being plastered all over the internet in France (which is where these neighbors are from). As much as lawmakers talk about protecting children, a child has to be molested or killed before that "protection" kicks in. This woman should never be allowed around children again. Teenagers are especially vunerable as they have raging hormones, and it is a shame that more and more educators are doing this to our sons and daughters. Middle school teachers are complaining about that 7th period, seems like they have too much free time if this is what they do--geez I wonder what they teach in class...

[dan]

Private and home schools will triple in the next few years, because of this kind of thing. Those in public schools will be destined to do domestic work for the home schooled people in the near future;and, throwing a few billion dollars at it will not work.Test teachers and abolish tenure.

[Adam]

How did she get a job as a teacher looking like a gangster from Coral Gables? Sheesh, our school system is in A LOT of trouble.

[TimfromIndiana]

Is's sad and laughable that so much of this still goes on after recent busts for the same thing. And while she's not my type, I imagine she could do OK with adults, especially around closing time. Why mess with a minor?

[Thinker]

I don't get it. I wasn't interested in 14 year old boys WHEN I was 14! Where oh where does anyone get the fleeting thought that sending something like this to a 14 year old CHILD is okay? Even if she was 14 herself!

[enough already]

innocent until proven guilty.

[Edward Ringwald]

What is with our school teachers lately? We used to trust them to educate our children, now that trust is gone.

In fact, we can no longer trust our public school system to teach our children. After all, teaching in the public school system is a trust that parents place their faith and confidence in.

[windowsugar]

Are you sure your son's friends aren't harassing the neighbors??? Many times at the instruction of their parents teenagers and MUCH younger will head up the street to harass neighbors and not for fun like kids SHOULD.
I overheard a tiny little giry (maybe five) dragging her brother (maybe three) down the road to the biker hangout and while they passed my cousin's house they were fake fighting and being really loud only the little boy started doing this in front of the wrong house and we heard the sister say NOT THAT HOUSE STUPID. Then they stood in front of my cousin's house yelling and screaming about nothing.
Their mother should be in jail. She's in a gang with the poeple who live behind my cousin and their landlord(S) should be in jail. The kids run out in the street unattended. Some even younger. I watched thsi same stuff go on in melbourne. These people are too ignrant to realize they are being used and that their children are endangered by this behavior they send them to do. When my cousin took video of the lady sending the kids out to do this over and over again IT STOPPED. So, maybe my cousin saved a few lives.
It might not be your kids but their friends that the people are taping. If your kids are harassing people you should stop them. It's dangerous.
LOVE ONE ANOTHER .... that's IT. That's all we have to do.
These people are too busy cooking meth and slinging it to even KNOW where little tiny children are. So ... people don't just stsrt videotaping out of nowhere. They're trying to prove something ... or protect something. Unless your children are nude outside. LOL. Maybe you should ask what is wrong and get some insight???
This teacher is NOT a teacher but a GANGSTER. Get a clue.

[windowsugar]

In my cousin's case the kids the little kids used to go visit tried to start fires on their property. The police ignored THAT. So .. next time there wll be evidence of what they group (GANG) of people is up to.

If somene constantly harassed you and vandalized your car and property you would videotape this for proof. Don't pretend you wouldn't.
We don't HAVE COPS we have to do things more creatively if we are not violent people.

[Sandy]

windowsugar--actually my son is very well supervised,probably more so than any other teenager around here. These neighbors don't want anyone on the street in front of their house. They are not from America and do not understand the street is a public place, and because my son skateboards in front of our houses, they videotape him. I have talked to them on numerous occasions, and they do not understand. The point I was trying to make is videotaping kids for no reason is perverated. And believe you me, if my child did something wrong, he would be in trouble, I do not tolerate that from anyone, child or adult. Just an FYI for you-as we have learned with this story today-being an adult does NOT make you right. I agree alot of teens harrass neighbors and innocent people but that doesn't make ALL teens bad. Sorry you're cousin had a bad time with a 5 and 3 year old, but that doesn't have anything to do with teenagers. I agree with Mr. Ringwald, the trust in the school system is fading fast. Teachers used to be role models, they used to be educators, now look at all the news reports, teachers complaining about too many classes, teacher-student relationships, sexting, teachers afraid of students...I bet the homeschooling websites are exploding.

[northside girl]

She's less than a woman, what in the h--l would she get out of a little boy. It's plenty of grown a-- man at Azaela Middle, her apartment complex, and on the d--n streets. The girl clearly has some issues. O.P.S told everyone "NOT TO HAVE SEX WITH STUDENTS". Did she miss that workshop? Are student's failing the f-cat do to not having relations with their teachers. What do you think??????

[windowsugar]

Sandy, thanks for responding so civilly and thoroughly. Yes, children and teenagers are worlds apart. These same kids, their older counterparts and some too young to be running busy streets alone also skateboard .. sometimes to irritate and sometimes just to have fun. And I have ZERO complaints about kids under that kind of stress having fun. I also raalize that nothing is their fault. The fire took it over the edge ... but still, I do not blame them. These are very busy streets here now and the ignorant mother actually told the police that she sent her kids into one street to play because the firetrucks race up and down another. There are several EMPTY lots paved around here where they could play safely. Anyway ... yes, I agree completely with your post now that I 'get' it. IF they videotaped my children doing normal activities I would find a creative way to make them understand they should not do so. Seems like you have tried many things.
OH man I LOVE kids. I love them all .. good, bad, loud, teen ... kids are AWESOME. Sounds like YOUR neighbors are harassing YOU.
If it doesn't stop I would probably have an attorney send a cease and desist letter. That would cost a few hundred bucks but if your kids aren't doing anything wrong .... yes, my cousin the situation is different, there are teens involved and to the untrained eye they are doing things that are cool but my cousin knows better. They moved in and started harassing them right away. The guy who owns the two houses and another guy who owns the one house has had his family and other raunchy tenants harass my family through about fifteen different sets of tenants.
If they are renters I would notify the landlord that you are having problems. If they ARE renters, they're probably THERE to harass you.
Anyway, think creatively. Every sword cuts both ways.
If it bothers your kids tell them to be the bigger person. It's so much better that way.

[Sandy]

That is actually what I tell my son and his friends all the time, to be the bigger persons in this case. To always be polite, to not respond to anything and just move on down the street. My mind is swirling around with thoughts about my problem as well as the things going on in our schools. It is difficult to teach teens to have respect for teachers with some of the things that has been in the news of late. Just as it will be hard for parents to have faith in our school system.

[jd]

Yet another example of a bad apple spoiling the bushel. It's a shame because there are MANY great teachers out there. The good FAR outnumber the bad, but it only takes one(or should I say another) case like this to ruin all the good work of those professional teachers who do their job well. Disgusting...

[windowsugar]

Oh PULEEZE I didn't realize it was azalea AGAIN !!!!! TRICKY RICKY BAKER's school. HOme of the firemen's kids who get convicted felons coaching football and then throw some kids off the team selectively.
Is there ANYONE around that school who is actually there FOR THE KIDS or all just for their selfish reason??

Honestly, if you want I cuold show you how to set up a network which doesn't involve murdering many people and muling kids and getting hoses in the classrooms.