School officer accused of stealing ID of students and employees

He was supposed to be keeping students and school employees safe. Instead, detectives say, he was helping himself to their personal information.

School District Police officer Jonathan Kelly appeared in court Wednesday charged with stealing identities of more than 20 people. The alleged victims are mainly former students and employees at schools where Kelly worked, most recently John I. Leonard High in Greenacres, and before that, Olympic Heights High in West Boca Raton.

Earlier this year, detectives with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and Boca Raton Police, arrested Kelly and a former Olympic Heights student, Daniel Elisha, charging them with a series of car burglaries. Detectives say that led them to Officer Kelly's use of school computers

In the new charges, the Sheriff's Office accuses Kelly of taking information off school computers, then opening Ebay accounts, and applying for credit cards-- at least 13 times at one online bank. Detectives say Kelly had items and statements sent to his own West Lake Worth address, as well as mailboxes at two other homes in his neighborhood.

Search warrants of Kelly's home and car produced names and personal information of 53 people, according to investigators. 37 have been located. Many alleged victims are students who've graduated and moved on, making the case more involved.

After Wednesday's hearing, Kelly's attorney, David Roth, defended his client. "We're entering a not guilty plea," said Roth, "and this matter will go to a jury trial, as it stands now."

By mid-afternoon Kelly had posted an $11,000 bond and was released from the Palm Beach County Jail. The School District has placed Kelly on paid leave.