JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A substitute teacher was arrested Tuesday after police found two guns, three bags of ammo, and 14 magazines in his car on the campus of Southside Estate Elementary School, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
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Arrest report states that Abdiel Badillo-Martinez, 29, is charged with possession of a short-barreled gun and carrying a concealed weapon on the grounds of an elementary school after a paraprofessional told police that Martinez informed her that he was homeless and had to keep his gun in his car because there was nowhere else for him to keep it.
Police state that the paraprofessional saw the gun in Martinez’s vehicle after helping him get “Pop-A-Lock” to open his car. She then told him that he couldn’t have a gun on the school’s campus before they both left the school and headed home for the day.
“[The paraprofessional] stated that she was bothered with the fact that he had a gun on campus, so she decided that it was best to inform [police] of what happened that day,” the arrest report reads.
The next morning, police arrived at the school to confirm the presence of a gun on campus, and after making contact with Martinez, informed him of his constitutional rights and proceeded to search the vehicle.
While searching, JSO said the following items were recovered from Martinez’s vehicle:
1 Glock 23 with loaded magazine and a round in the chamber
1 AR Pistol 5.56 with magazine and round in the chamber
9 magazines with ammunition 40 cal
Four 5.56 cal rifle magazines loaded with ammunition
1 drum style magazine (60 capacity) with 10 rounds
1 fixed blade knife in sheath
2 bags of ammunition 7.62 and 9mm
1 Adidas bag with various rounds of ammunition
1 Ballistic vest
1 box of 40 cal ammunition
Principal Teresa Dowdell-Brown said it did not appear that Badillo-Martinez was armed while he was in the classroom or the building.
“Due to the fact that the School District has waived the exception to vehicles in 790.115(2)(a)3, the suspect was placed under arrest,” JSO said, adding that the AR was a pistol by degisn, but “an attached vertical foregrip converts the rifle to a short-barreled rifle,” a felony in Florida.
Martinez was booked into jail, and JSO took all the weapons and ammo found, the agency said.
As of Wednesday afternoon, he was still in custody and had a first appearance before a judge at 2 p.m.
Badillo-Martinez was blocked from working with Duval County Public Schools in the future.
“The safety of your children is our first goal, and we all share in the partnership to keep our campus secure. In that regard, I appreciate your partnership in keeping our students and staff safe and for your support of our school,” Principal Brown said in a letter to parents.
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