Mary Jo Gordo, 29, an art teacher in Florida and a “religious ambassador” at a charter school in Orange County, is currently under scrutiny as she faces three federal charges of sexual exploitation of a minor. Allegations assert that Gordo recorded more than two dozen videos depicting inappropriate acts with a former eighth-grade student.
WARNING: This article discusses the sexual abuse of a minor. Reader discretion is advised.
According to the indictment obtained by Inside Edition Digital, Gordo is accused of making explicit videos involving herself and the underage student. If the court convicts her, she could potentially face a maximum prison sentence of 90 years, equivalent to 30 years for each count of sexual exploitation of a minor.
The federal child exploitation charges against Gordo were revealed through a criminal complaint, WESH 2 reported.
An FBI criminal complaint reveals disturbing details in the Mary Jo Gordo case
As WESH reported, the criminal complaint filed by the FBI against Mary Jo Gordo goes into graphic detail, outlining when and where Gordo was accused of engaging in sexual activity with the underage student.
According to the complaint, much of the evidence comes from recordings made on their cell phones. The complaint describes specific instances where illegal acts occurred, the FBI task force officer noted.
According to Fox, a detective from the Seminole County Sheriff's Office Crimes Against Children Task Force participated in the investigation and interviewed the student. The student revealed that the relationship with Gordo occurred between June and September of 2023. The explicit confrontations allegedly occurred at various hotels throughout Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties and even in Gordo's car.
The complaint also reveals that in 2019, Gordo served a dual role as the student's eighth-grade teacher and religious ambassador.
It is worth noting that Gordo resigned from the independent school where she taught the student in June of the previous year. The complaint did not specify the reasons for her resignation, according to WISH.
However, it is revealed that Gordo got a job as an art teacher at another school after leaving the charter school.
Forensic examination reveals graphic details in the Mary Jo Gordo case
The Orange County Sheriff's Office (OCSO) conducted a forensic evaluation on the minor student's phone, uncovering evidence implicating Mary Jo Gordo. The complaint, which was filed in October, was unsealed this week. The examination results show approximately 28 explicit video clips, including Gordo and the victim.
According to the FBI task force officer named in the complaint, there is probable cause to believe that Gordo committed multiple crimes, including producing, possessing, receiving, and distributing child pornography, as well as coercing and enticing a minor to engage in sexual intercourse. Activity as reported in Inside Edition.
In September, the student's mother told OCSO that her minor son was having an affair with his former teacher. With her consent, the mother allowed OCSO's Digital Forensics Unit to conduct a forensic examination of her son's phone.
Reviewing the findings, an FBI task force officer identified three explicit videos allegedly found on the device, all of which showed Gordo engaging in numerous oral and sexual activities with the victim.
Mary Jo Gordo has pleaded not guilty to the charges against her
Mary Jo Gordo, who faces three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and federal child exploitation charges, entered a plea of not guilty on Jan. 8, through a signed waiver. This comes after her arrest last October, and she has been out on bail since then.
Court documents filed on October 25, and obtained by Fox News Digital, detail the charges against Gordo. A jury this week indicted her on three counts, accusing her of enticing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct and producing a visual depiction of such conduct.
Gordo is scheduled to appear in court on January 18 in Orlando. Her attorney, Philip Arroyo, did not respond to requests for comment.
