MIAMI LAKES, Fla. – An employee at a public school in Miami-Dade County was arrested Monday on multiple charges.
Jail records show Martin Zaretsky, 50, was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on seven counts of lewd and lascivious molestation on a child and seven counts of offenses against students by authority figures.
According to the school’s website, Zaretsky worked in the IT department at the Bob Graham K-8 Education Center in Miami Lakes.
An arrest report obtained Tuesday by Local 10 News states that Zaretsky tried to “engage in a romantic relationship with several students and touched them over the clothes in a lewd manner.”
The report stated that the school employee “intentionally” touched the students on their breast and buttocks areas, over their clothes, against their will and also exchanged text messages with two of the victims on several occasions.
Police said there were also several incidents in which Zaretsky would wait for the victims after school and would walk them to his office and give them candy.
“He then would walk them back to the gate, hug them in a caressing manner and say goodbye,” the report stated.
Police said Zaretsky would also take the students out of their classes, so they could skip class and accompany him walking around the school.
He would also give students their cellphones back if they were taken away by other school administrators, authorities said.
According to the report, on one occasion, he made inappropriate remarks to the victims, telling them, “You look good today” and “You have a curvy body.”
Police said he also asked them their age and told them he was younger than their fathers and younger than he seemed.
According to the report, after being detained Monday, Zaretsky invoked his rights and refused to speak with detectives.
While in court, a prosecutor said Zaretsky did a lot more than his job requirements.
“He would go to the cafeteria and take the students out of their classrooms. He went with them on field trips,” the prosecutor stated. “His job was only to fix computers. He was not supposed to be walking kids out after dismissal.”
One parent, who asked not to be identified, told Local 10 News that staff members and parents need to be more aware of these situations.
“You never know what could be going on with some people, if they’re being checked (or) if they’re left alone in a specific area,” the parent said.
The school district released a statement to Local 10 Tuesday, saying they are in the process of terminating Zaretsky’s employment.
“Miami-Dade County Public Schools is deeply disturbed by the troubling allegations made against this individual,” the statement read. “Upon learning about this suspected behavior, Miami-Dade Schools Police immediately began their investigation and subsequently made an arrest. This type of comportment will not be tolerated as it runs contrary to the professional conduct we expect from all employees. The District has initiated employment termination proceedings, and will ensure the individual is precluded from seeking future employment with the District.”
As of Tuesday morning, Zaretsky remained at TGK where his total bond was set at $70,000.