ORLANDO, Fla. – A Volusia County substitute teacher who also works at Disney World part-time was arrested Monday for soliciting sex from a 13-year-old girl, according to Orlando police.
Bruce Krupa, 24, was arrested as a part of an undercover operation with the Orange County Sheriff's Office and Orlando Police Department.
A detective was posing as the 13-year-old girl through an e-commerce website. The detective, also posing as the girl's mother, informed him that she was only 13, but Krupa continued to talk with the fictitious girl, according to the report.
"If it's not me, this guy would have had his hands on a real child," said Det. Lori Fiorino, who was posing online as the teenage girl. "Absolutely heartbreaking."
Police said Krupa began to talk to the 13-year-old girl, exchanging sexual messages and telling her what he wanted to do to her.
Krupa also sent several pictures of his face and of himself only wearing underwear, according to the report.
"Over and over and over I told him I was 13," Fiorino said.
A time and a date was set up to meet in Orlando and that’s when police arrested Krupa.
Krupa is charged with attempted lewd and lascivious conduct, soliciting of minor via computer, obscene communication-traveling to meet after lure and unlawful use of two-way communication device.
A Volusia County Schools spokesperson said Krupa was employed with the district since 2015 as a substitute teacher and substitute cafeteria worker at eight different elementary, middle and high schools.
After school officials learned of his arrest Krupa was removed from the substitute list and disqualified for future employment, according to the spokesperson.
A Disney spokesperson said Krupa "has been placed on leave pending the outcome of the charges.”
Detectives now are reminding parents to watch their children's activity online, including their social media. Fiorino said there are multiple types of software that allow parent's to monitor their children's online activity.
"If they can’t afford the software ... just have that relationship where you can maybe go to your child and say 'Hey show me what these new apps are on your phone,'" Fiorino said.
She said, if necessary, parents should take away their children's phones at night.
"Don’t be scared to take it and do spot checks. Who pays the bill right?" she said.
Krupa remains in the Orange County jail and has not yet appeared before a judge as of Tuesday afternoon.