COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — A former Naples elementary school teacher was sentenced Friday to 25 years in prison for 20 counts of child molestation.
Hector Castro Manley pleaded no contest to the charges, according to court documents. He originally pleaded not guilty after his May 2019 arrest.
As part of the sentencing he must register as a sex offender and must wear an ankle monitor once released.
He is also ordered to pay more than $20,000 in restitution and court costs.
Manley was arrested in 2019 after three victims reported him to authorities. The three girls said Manley inappropriately touched them inside his classroom. More victims came forward afterward.
Collier County deputies say this happened during the 2017-2018 school year at Parkside Elementary School. In November 2020, the parents of two Parkside Elementary students filed a negligence suit against the Collier school board, claiming the school failed to protect their children from harm with regard to Manley. The case is still ongoing with a hearing scheduled for July 20.
