Teacher claims he was ‘just trying to help.’ Teenager says he gave her alcohol, drugs and they had sex

The Manatee School for the Arts teacher charged with having sex with an underage girl said he was just trying to help when he allowed her and a friend to spend the night at his home, according to detectives.

Steven Kempa was arrested Wednesday by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and charged with unlawful sexual activity with a minor. He was released from the Manatee County jail on Thursday on a $7,500 bond.

Kempa never admitted to having sex with the teen but the 16-year-old told detectives they did, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. But she could not remember if she had agreed to because of the alcohol and a pill she said Kempa gave her made her feel “loopy.”

Kempa has been officially terminated, according to the school’s principal Bill Jones. The former social studies teacher has not been on campus since before the winter break holiday, he added, and was placed on administrative leave as soon as school officials learned of the investigation.

The school moved forward with his termination, officially effective Friday, once charges were filed this week, Jones said.

According to the school’s website, Kempa was a social studies teacher at the school.

The 16-year-old girl was reported missing by her parents on Jan. 1. The allegations began to unfold after the victim’s family was told by her friend that they had both had sex with a teacher from Manatee School for the Arts, according to the affidavit.

Using social media and the school’s website, the girl’s mother gathered clues that led detectives to suspect Kempa. The teen had posted a picture of herself, partially undressed, laying in bed with an unknown shirtless man and a picture of both teens laying together. The girl had also been seen by her manager being picked at her job by a man known as “Steven,” a teacher at Manatee School for the Arts, according to the affidavit.

According to the affidavit, Kempa was very hesitant and nervous when detectives first interviewed him. Kempa admitted to picking the two girls up and allowing them to spend the night at his home. Detectives asked why he allowed that knowing the victim was a runaway, and that as a teacher he was required by state law to report the girl’s whereabouts.

“I was just trying to help,” Kempa said, according to detectives.

Detective seized Kempa’s cell phone, making him more visibly nervous, they observed. Kempa grew so uncomfortable that he stopped the interview, but as detectives walked out he asked when he would get his phone back. After being told it would be a long time, if ever, Kempa invited detectives back inside.

“I wish I could help you find her, but I can’t,” Kempa said as he sat on his couch with his legs pressed against his chest, according to the report.

The teen had slept on the couch, Kempa insisted.

“I mean nothing inappropriate happened. I mean there are no cameras in here,” detectives say Kempa told them.

Detectives questioned why he would mention a lack of cameras, and after eventually answering “no,” Kempa ended the interview.

The victim was found on Jan. 5 and when she first spoke with detectives that day, she admitted to staying at Kempa’s home but denied they had sex.

Four days later, however, she admitted that they had sex at least once during the three nights she stayed at Kempa’s home, according to detectives.

The teen also disclosed, according to detectives, that she had bruises on her inner thighs and upper arms that she couldn’t explained but believed they were the result of having sex.

This story was originally published January 19, 2018 at 1:32 PM with the headline "Teacher claims he was ‘just trying to help.’ Teenager says he gave her alcohol, drugs and they had sex."