Police Department arrests Cobie Bradley on Nov. 19
A 21-year-old Sarasota man has been charged with multiple felony counts after three students alleged to the Sarasota Police Department that he had touched them inappropriately, the agency has announced.
Cobie M. Bradley, of 1522 28th St. in Sarasota, was arrested on Nov. 19, his Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office Corrections Division booking records say.
“The victims are boys and ages 14 to 15,” a Police Department news release points out. “The victims are three students from two schools, Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences (SSAS) and Sarasota High School,” the release adds. Sarasota Police detectives are concerned that additional victims may be involved, the release says. Therefore, the detectives are asking that anyone with information come forward.
Bradley is facing one felony count of lewd and lascivious conduct on a victim under age16 and two counts of molestation of a victim under age 16, the release points out.
The Florida Department of Children and Families also has been involved in the investigation into the allegations, the release notes.
“On Sept. 22, the parents of one of the victims came to the Sarasota Police Department to report that their son had been sexually assaulted on campus by Bradley while he was employed by SSAS [the Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences],” the release continues.
During interviews of SSAS staff, the release says, Sarasota Police detectives learned that Bradley was hired by the school on Aug. 4, and he was assigned to the aftercare program on Sept. 17.
Then, on Oct. 17, the release adds, “several students unrelated to the initial investigation saw Bradley on campus and told their band director they were uncomfortable with him because he had been inappropriately touching students.
“On Oct. 21,” the release continues, Sarasota Police detectives spoke with an officer at Sarasota High School (SHS). The officer said Bradley was volunteering at SHS.”
Exactly a week later — on Oct. 28 — “a second victim disclosed that Bradley inappropriately touched him two times during band camp in July 2025 at SHS,” the release says.” On Nov. 12, a third victim disclosed that Bradley inappropriately touched him in late August or early September 2025 at SSAS.”
During Bradley’s first appearance in court, on Nov. 20, bond was set at $25,000 for each count, the release points out; that put the total bond at $75,000. The conditions for his release include a high level of supervision and no contact with the victims, along with an order not to return to either of the two schools, the release adds.
As of midday on Nov. 25, Bradley remained in the Sarasota County Jail, The Sarasota News Leader learned from the records maintained by the Corrections Division of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.
“If you or someone you know may have been a victim or have any information regarding this case, you’re asked to call Sarasota Police Department Detective Maria Llovio at Maria.Llovio@sarasotaFL.gov or call 941-263-6836,” the release says.
Details in the arrest warrant
The arrest warrant for Bradley related the statements from the victim’s parents who came into the Sarasota Police Department on Sept. 22. The father said that when he woke up the victim for school that day, “The victim became argumentative, slammed the bedroom door, and refused to go to school.”
Finally, the son told the father he would explain “what was wrong,” the warrant continued, but he wanted to tell his mother at the same time.
“The victim disclosed to his parents that [on Sept. 17], after school, in theatre lighting class, Bradley placed his hand on [the victim’s] thigh near his crotch and held [the victim’s] hand. Bradley then placed his head on the victim’s shoulder, and he continued to touch [the victim’s] thigh,” the warrant added.
Next, the warrant said, Bradley “took the victim’s cell phone and added his Snapchat profile. Bradley told the victim not to tell anyone that he added his Snapchat profile.”
The warrant said that the victim “told his parents that there were two other students in the room [at the time] and a teacher, and that the room was dark.” The victim knew one of the other students, a young woman.
The teacher was an assistant principal, as well, the warrant noted.
After the class, “Bradley and the victim were walking through the kitchen,” where students are not allowed, when the assistant principal saw them, the warrant said. Bradley told the assistant principal that they were using that route in the building because floors were being cleaned elsewhere, the parents reported to police personnel.
On Sept. 22, during an interview with detectives, the assistant principal, Carl Williams, confirmed that the victim had been assigned to the aftercare program, the warrant pointed out, and Williams did confirm that he saw Bradley and the victim coming out of the kitchen. Further, the warrant continued, “Williams confirmed that Bradley helps with the lighting in the theatre program.”
Finally, Williams told the detectives that “the school follows the professional code of ethics for the State and Sarasota County, which means that there is no reason for a student and a teacher to be friends or communicate on social media.”
On Sept. 18, the warrant said, Bradley walked into the victim’s photography class “and began touching [the victim’s] head. A friend of the victim … witnessed it and said he felt uncomfortable,” the warrant noted.
The parents also told Police Department personnel that their son missed school the previous Friday “because he was throwing up, and he did not want to go to school [that day].”
A picture of Bradley’s Snapchat profile was provided to police personnel, the affidavit said; it was uploaded as evidence.
Later on Sept. 22, the warrant continued, a woman conducted a forensic interview with the victim at the Child Protection Center on Orange Avenue in Sarasota. The victim reported to the woman that “he was there because he had been sexually assaulted by Bradley. The victim described the term … as being touched sexually or weirdly, in a way that you don’t want to be touched,” the warrant added.
When the interviewer asked the victim to tell her what had happened, the victim described the incidents in the theatre room that he had related to his parents, the warrant indicated, but in more detail. Another male student was present during the Sept. 17 incident, along with the female student whom the victim knew, the warrant noted.
At one point, the warrant said in regard to the Sept. 17 incident, “The victim disclosed that Bradley asked him if he was uncomfortable, but he could not answer because he was in shock.”
Moreover, the warrant noted, “Bradley told the victim he was gay, and he asked the victim if he was gay. The victim told Bradley he was not gay.”
The warrant also said that the young woman student in the room on Sept. 17 began texting about Bradley to other girls on Snapchat.
When the interviewer finally asked the victim what made him relate the incidents to his parents, “he said that he had not been able to sleep on Sunday, and his mind was racing,” the warrant added.
The detectives handling the case interviewed the other students whom the victim had identified as being present when the two incidents occurred, the warrant said. The detectives also examined the theatre room, it noted. They agreed “it is possible that no one saw what happened” when Bradley was seated next to the victim in the first incident, the warrant said.
On Sept. 23, when the detectives interviewed Bradley at the Police Department Headquarters, the warrant continued, Bradley acknowledged that he had been through “training and discussions about what is appropriate and inappropriate with students, and he had to sign off on a rule workbook.”
The warrant added, “Bradley said you are allowed to have [students’] phone numbers if the parents consent.” When one detective asked Bradley whether “he shared anything personal with any student,” Bradley denied that he had undertaken such action. “Bradley said teachers can’t share things about their lives, social media, or express a political view with the students,” the warrant pointed out.
When a detective showed Bradley a screenshot of the Snapchat profile that had been provided to police personnel, the warrant continued, “Bradley denied ever touching the victim’s cell phone to add his profile. Bradley denied ever touching the victim, trying to hold his hand, or whispering to him,” the warrant said.
Two other male victims reported later to police personnel that Bradley had inappropriately touched their genitalia over their clothing, the warrant added. One incident occurred during band camp in July, while the other happened in late August or early September in a storage room at a location that is redacted in the warrant.