Joseph Gerald Mendolia (601 N. Dort Street, Apt. 7, Plant City, Florida), 25, substitute teacher starting this fall at Strawberry Crest High School, Hillsborough County Public Schools, Dover, Florida, "three counts of lewd and lascivious battery after allegedly engaging in sexual acts with a minor" Also: Founder and director, Plant City Community Choir, Plant City, Florida Graduate conductor, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida (2012 - 2013) Music production assistant, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida (2010 - 2012) Camp counselor, University of South Florida Summer Music Camps Former substitute teacher for Hillsborough County Public Schools (specific schools not known at this point) MySpace: Joseph Mendolia LinkedIn: Joseph Mendolia WTSP: Plant City man charged for sex acts with a minor (July 16 2013) A joint-investigation by local FDLE agents and St. Petersburg Police detectives lead officials to believe 25-year-old Joseph Gerald Mendolia engaged in sexual activity with a minor in St. Pete at least once in March of this year. Investigators say during an online chat, Mendolia posed as a female named "Amanda," and claimed to be a "camp counselor" with the University of South Florida music program. WTSP: Choir director, former camp counselor, arrested & accused of sex with minor [Photo Gallery] Tampa-area (mostly former) educators with issues: Ethel Anderson, Seffner, Florida (arrested Feb 2012) Christy Ayala, Hillsborough, Florida (arrested Oct 2007) Christopher Bergman, Tampa, Florida (arrested Oct 2011) [assault] Christina Lin Butler, Tampa, Florida (arrested Oct 2007) Carlos Marcell Dixon, Dover, Florida (arrested Aug 2013) Sherika Dunbar, Tampa, Florida (arrested March 2012) [drugs] Jeffrey Halle, Jr., Tampa, Florida (arrested July 2012) Phillip G. Kornell, Tampa, Florida (arrested Mar 2013) [underage sex sting] Debra LaFave, Tampa, Florida (arrested Jun 2004) Joseph Gerald Mendolia, Plant City, Florida (arrested July 2013) James Jules Pepe, Valrico, Florida (arrested Sept 2012) [accused of hiring hit man] Chung Ramos, Riverview, Florida (resigned May 2012) John Sinibaldi, South Tampa, Florida (suspended Oct 2007) [excessive texting] Esraa Mohamed Soliman, Tampa, Florida (arrested Oct 2012) [child abuse] Roy W. Thomas, Hillsborough, Florida (arrested Nov 2011) [child porn] Lauren Shreeve Tilo, Hillsborough, Florida (arrested May 2010) David Valesano Jr., Lithia, Florida (arrested July 2013) [child porn] Tags:
Florida Department of Law Enforcement: Plant City man arrested for lewd and lascivious battery of a minor [Press Release] Jul 16, 2013 PLANT CITY, Fla. – Agents from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Tampa Bay Regional Operations Center and St. Petersburg Police Department detectives arrested Joseph Gerald Mendolia, 25, of Plant City, Fla., for three counts of lewd and lascivious battery following a multi-jurisdictional investigation. Mendolia was arrested in Plant City and booked into the Pinellas County Jail. Investigators believe that in March 2013, Mendolia travelled to St. Petersburg, Fla., and engaged in sexual activity with a minor child after posing as a female, “Amanda,” on a web chat. Mendolia was a “camp counselor” with the University of South Florida music program and is currently the director of the Plant City Community Chorus. Investigators believe other victims may be identified at a later date and their investigation continues.
LinkedIn: Joseph Mendolia My name is Joseph Mendolia. I was born and raised in Plant City, Florida, and am a proud graduate of Plant City High School. While in high school, I studied music with Mr. Robert Nicholson and participated in numerous extracurricular activities including All-County Honor Choirs and All-State Honor Choirs. After graduating, in 2006, I moved to Jackson, Tennessee to study music education at Union University until a tornado hit the college campus in 2008. After this life changing event, during which I lost all personal belongings, I returned to Plant City and resumed my education at Hillsborough Community College. Currently, I hold a Bachelor's of Arts degree in Music and am working on my Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting. In 2008, I founded the Plant City Community Choir, which has grown from 12 singers to a core of 35. For the past four years, we have been invited to sing at the Florida Strawberry Festival, Plant City Relay for Life, numerous fundraising events, and even Walt Disney World's Candlelight Processional!Graduate ConductorUniversity of South Florida August 2012 – Present (1 year)At the University of South Florida, I direct and conduct the USF Honors College Chorus (a group of about 30 students who are not music majors and have little to no formal training). I am also the graduate assistant for the USF Collegiate Singers, the campus choir.Music Production AssistantUniversity of South Florida August 2010 – May 2012 (1 year 10 months)As the Music Production Assistant, I helped schedule student and guest recitals, recorded those recitals, managed the School of Music building, worked with data entry, and gave tours to prospective students.
Tampa Bay Times: Plant City choir founder accused of having sex with child (July 16 2013) A 25-year-old Plant City man is accused of having sex with a child after posing as a woman named Amanda in an online chat, authorities say. Joseph Gerald Mendolia was arrested Tuesday morning on three counts of lewd and lascivious battery. State investigators believe he traveled to St. Petersburg to meet the child in March.
My Fox Tampa Bay: Plant City man accused of sexual activity with a minor, FDLE says (July 16 2013) According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, 25-year-old Joseph Gerald Mendolia engaged in sexual activity with a minor in March of 2013. Investigators say Mendolia traveled to St. Petersburg to have sex with the minor after posing as a female named "Amanda" on a web chat.
ABC Action News: Joseph Gerald Mendolia, 25, of Plant City is accused of having a sex encounter with an underage boy (July 16 2013) A Plant City man, who was a camp counselor and chorus director, is accused of having a sexual encounter with a 15-year-old boy in St. Petersburg. Joseph Gerald Mendolia, 25, of 601 N. Dort Street, Apt. 7, was arrested Tuesday. Investigators believe that in March 2013, Mendolia traveled to St. Petersburg, Fla., and engaged in sexual activity with a minor child after posing as a female name, "Amanda," on a web chat.
WTSP: Joseph Mendolia, man arrested for sex with a teen, subbed at Strawberry Crest High School (July 17 2013) A man facing three counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a 15-year-old boy was also scheduled to substitute teach at a Hillsborough County high school. 25-year-old Joseph Gerald Mendolia was arrested for allegedly engaging in sexual activity with a boy he met on web chat in March ... On Mendolia's Facebook page, he allegedly posted to his wall writing he was going to fill in this fall at Strawberry Crest High School. 10 News talked with the spokesperson for Hillsborough Schools, Tanya Arja about the accuracy of his post.
The Ledger: Plant City Man Is Arrested On Molestation Charges (July 17 2013) The Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested Joseph Gerald Mendolia on Tuesday on three counts of lewd and lascivious battery. Mendolia was posing as a woman on a web chat service, traveled to St. Petersburg and had sexual contact with a child, the FDLE said.
Tampa Tribune: Plant City man charged with lewd, lascivious battery on a minor (July 17 2013) Joseph Gerald Mendolia ... was arrested today in Plant City and is being held in the Pinellas County Jail on $60,000 bail. Investigators say Mendolia went to St. Petersburg in March and engaged in sexual activity with a minor child after posing as a female, "Amanda," on a web chat.