BREAKING NEWS: Winter Park High School band director accused of recording sex acts with underage student

Winter Park High School’s band director was arrested after a video surfaced of him and a juvenile engaging in sexual acts, Winter Park Police Department officials said.

Christopher Michael Blackmer was arrested by officers early Friday, April 5, and has been charged with sexual performance by a child: possession of child pornography — a third-degree felony.

According to Orange County Public Schools, Blackmer has been on administrative leave since Jan. 31 and started working for Winter Park High School in August 2013.

Winter Park police — as well as the school district —are conducting investigations.

“During the investigation, the employee has been on administrative leave, pending the outcome of that investigation,” Winter Park High School Principal Matthew Arnold said in a phone call made to parents. “We are also working in conjunction with law enforcement on this matter. Please know we take all allegations very seriously, and the safety of our students is my top priority.”

According to the arrest affidavit, the investigation started after an anonymous witness contacted the Winter Park Police Department Jan. 28 regarding inappropriate messages between Blackmer and a former Winter Park High School student.

A second witness contacted the school resource officer branch Jan. 30 about the same conversations, which took place via Instagram from May 16, 2018, to January 2019. Screenshots provided by that second witness revealed Blackmer had sent inappropriate images of another former student.

Based on information provided from Blackmer regarding when he obtained the images, Winter Park police determined the identified individual in the photos was a juvenile.

In response to the allegations, a consensual interview took place between Blackmer and an affiant in the company of a Winter Park police officer. After Blackmer’s car and several personal items were seized, a search of Blackmer’s phone revealed a video of Blackmer and a male victim engaging in sexual acts. 

The male was identified as a former student of Colonial High School, and police determined through the date of the video (Aug. 1, 2014) that the victim was a minor at the time of the video.

Blackmer was arrested shortly after based on the collected evidence.

As of April 5, Blackmer was being held at the Orange County Jail with a $5,000 bond.

This is an ongoing story that will be updated as more information surfaces.