MANATEE COUNTY (WFLA) — Joseph Prevatte, 39, made appeared before a judge in Hillsborough County Wednesday.

The substitute teacher is accused of having inappropriate relationships with students across two Tampa Bay area counties.

Manatee County deputies said they started investigating Prevatte after receiving a tip on Oct. 31 that he was sending inappropriate messages to a teen at Lakewood Ranch High School.

He first made contact with the teen through direct messages on Instagram. Deputies said that first contact took place after the teen “followed” him on the social media platform on his first day subbing at the school.

Prevatte was accused of sending messages with sexual undertones and also sending the victim an image of himself naked with his genitals cropped out. He was charged in Manatee County with soliciting or engaging in lewd conduct with a student, which is a second-degree felony, and was arrested on Nov. 8.

“Through subsequent investigation, we found out that there was an open case that Hillsborough County had for similar circumstances. The only difference was we had information that he had actually offended on that student,” said Lt. Mark Morie with MCSO’s Crimes Against Children Unit.

Prevatte was working as a substitute teacher at Lennard High School in early October, and was accused of sending inappropriate messages and having sexual interactions with a student on campus.

He was arrested Tuesday and charged with lewd or lascivious battery and harmful explicit communication with a minor.

The investigation in Hillsborough County started less than two weeks before deputies in Manatee County said Prevatte started working at Lakewood Ranch High School.

Each school district works with different companies for its temporary workers – Kelly Education for Hillsborough County Schools and ESS for Manatee County Schools. In both counties, substitute teachers are not employees of the district.

Hillsborough County Schools sent us the following statement.

Once the allegation was brought forward, he was pulled from the school.  The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office was immediately notified and they launched an investigation. We contacted Kelly Education, and they released him from his employment that day. 

Since he was only under investigation at the time, there was no mechanism or reporting agency to share investigative information between school districts or hiring agencies.  This individual fully knew he was under investigation for having a relationship with a student. It is appalling that he took advantage of the situation and the timing, by not disclosing he was under investigation, and he likely did not put Hillsborough Schools as a reference when he was going through the hiring process with another agency.

Kelly Education told News Channel 8 Prevatte passed all required background checks before he was placed on assignment. A spokesperson for the company sent us the following statement.

Kelly Education considers student safety and well-being to be our top priorities. Upon notice that the substitute educator was a person of interest in an active law enforcement investigation, he was immediately removed from assignment eligibility pending the outcome of the investigation, and we continue to cooperate with the school district and law enforcement.

We recognize the significant public trust placed in us to ensure our substitute educators maintain a safe learning environment. Our substitute educators undergo a rigorous screening process that is fully compliant with the Florida Department of Education’s standards and includes screenings that go beyond state requirements. This includes comprehensive background and fingerprint checks, which include searches of local, state, and national criminal records—including crimes against children—and a search of the National Sex Offender Registry. Additionally, Florida is part of the FBI Rap Back program. This system provides continuous monitoring, ensuring that our district partners are immediately alerted if a substitute educator is arrested and fingerprinted by law enforcement.

In Hillsborough County, Prevatte only worked at Lennard High School for three days. He did not work at any other schools in that district.

In Manatee County, we are still waiting to learn if Prevatte subbed at any other schools aside from Lakewood Ranch High School. ESS has not returned our request for comment.

In addition to the two cases where arrests have been made, News Channel 8 has learned Hillsborough County deputies are investigating him for a case involving an elementary school-age child, however that case has no connection to his role as a substitute teacher.

After learning of Manatee County’s case, HCSO detectives made additional phone notifications to Pasco County Public Schools, Pinellas County Public Schools, Polk County Public Schools and Hernando County Public Schools regarding their investigation.

Deputies have reason to believe there could be other victims.

“That’s why we have this to say.. if you were in the school district of Manatee County, and you encountered this person as a substitute teacher, and he reached out to you in the same manner, we need to know,” said Lt. Morie.

Anyone with information is asked to contact MCSO at 941-747-3011 or HCSO at 813-247-8200.