Bradford County News

School Lockdown, Gun on Campus: Two Arrested Near Bradford High

At approximately 12:30 p.m., deputies responded to the parking area next to the Bradford High School tennis courts after an alert school district employee witnessed two subjects exchanging a shotgun partially covered by a towel. Per district procedures, the school was placed on Shelter in Place status. Deputies secured the location with no students in direct danger and no firearms discharged. Devin Ramos, 20, of Alachua County, and Issac Likens, 20, of Duval County, were each arrested and charged with Felony Possession of a Firearm on School Property and Misdemeanor Disruption of a School Function. Both advised they were meeting to exchange the shotgun for a third party in Duval County and moved to the school location from a nearby convenience store due to the number of people present. Bradford High has since been released and is in normal operation.

State Invests $3 Million in Bradford County CDL Training Facility

Governor DeSantis announced the Bradford County School District will receive $3 million for a new commercial driver's license training facility, part of a broader $9 million investment in Bradford and Nassau counties aimed at rural workforce development and growing the state's shipping and logistics capacity.

Xfinity to Connect 3,500+ Bradford County Homes to High-Speed Internet by Fall 2026

Comcast is expanding multi-gigabit internet service to more than 3,500 homes and businesses in Hampton, Lawtey, Starke, and surrounding areas, with completion expected by Fall 2026.

Keystone Heights Eyes Multibillion-Dollar Aerospace Development at Airport

At the March 2 City Council meeting, officials previewed a potential major aerospace project tied to the Keystone Heights Airport. Two new members were also appointed to the airport authority as planning accelerates.

Former Bradford Middle School Teacher Sentenced to Prison, Designated Sex Offender for Life

March 4, 2026  |  Bradford County News Staff  |  Sources: WCJB, News4JAX, Bradford County Telegraph, Bradford County Sheriff's Office

A former Bradford Middle School teacher was sentenced March 4 to one year and one week in a Florida Department of Corrections facility after pleading to charges stemming from explicit messages and images he sent to a student while employed by the Bradford County School District. Matthew Dawson Watson, 27 — born June 23, 1998 will also serve four years of sexual offender probation upon his release and has been permanently designated a sexual offender, meaning his name will appear on the Florida sex offender registry for life.

According to the Bradford County Sheriff's Office, the misconduct began in late December 2024, while Watson was an active classroom teacher at Bradford Middle School. Investigators say Watson intentionally engaged in the electronic transmission of sexual content for a student to view, constituting a serious abuse of his position of trust and authority. The conduct continued over a period of weeks before it was discovered.

The case broke open on February 12, 2025, when the student disclosed the situation to a school employee. The district responded the same day, placing Watson on administrative leave and immediately referring the matter to law enforcement, in accordance with mandatory reporting requirements. Sheriff Gordon Smith's office opened a formal investigation, and a warrant for Watson's arrest was issued shortly thereafter.

Watson resigned from the Bradford County School District on May 19, 2025, before law enforcement moved to formally arrest him. On the morning of July 14, 2025, Watson turned himself in to the Bradford County Sheriff's Office at approximately 6 a.m., roughly five months after the initial report was made. He was booked into the Bradford County Jail and held on a $500,000 bond. At the time of his arrest, Watson faced original charges of transmission of live sexual conduct over a computer and offense against a student by an authority figure both felonies under Florida law.

The case was ultimately resolved through a plea agreement. Watson entered guilty pleas on two counts: transmitting harmful material to a minor and soliciting lewd conduct with a student. The sentencing judge took into account both the nature of the material shared and Watson's deliberate exploitation of his role as an authority figure in the victim's life.

In addition to the prison term and probation, Watson's lifetime sex offender designation carries significant long-term consequences under Florida Statutes. He will be subject to residency restrictions that prohibit him from living within 1,000 feet of a school, daycare center, park, or playground. He will be barred from working in any setting involving access to minors and must register his address, vehicle, and online identifiers with law enforcement regularly. Failure to comply carries its own criminal penalties.

The Bradford County School District issued a statement following Watson's arrest, noting that the district acted swiftly and in full accordance with policy from the moment allegations surfaced. Deputy Superintendent Karen Clarke stated that student safety and well-being remain the district's top priority and that the district is committed to maintaining a safe and supportive environment across all its schools. The district declined further comment, citing the ongoing legal process and privacy protections for the student involved.

The victim's identity has not been released and will not be disclosed in accordance with Florida law protecting minor victims of sexual crimes. Anyone with information regarding this case or similar incidents is encouraged to contact the Bradford County Sheriff's Office.

Keystone Heights City Council Unanimously Bans Smoking and Vaping in City Parks

The council voted unanimously at its March 2 meeting to prohibit smoking and vaping across all Keystone Heights parks as part of a broader public health initiative for recreational facilities.

Timber Industry Struggling as Mill Closures and Hurricane Damage Hit North Florida Loggers

A wave of mill shutdowns and hurricane damage has left local timber workers with fewer places to sell their wood and no clear recovery timeline, according to industry sources and state forestry data.

Bradford County 4-H Senior Team Wins Livestock Judging at Agricultural Fair

Maddison Lee, Ella Norris, Madison Stein, and Ansley Ward compiled 1,421 points to win the senior division at the March 5 Bradford Agricultural Fair livestock judging competition.

Lawrence Runner-Up at Santa Fe Invitational; Parks Takes 2nd in Hurdles at Providence

Bradford High senior Elijah Lawrence finished second in the 200m (23.20 sec.) at the Feb. 28 Santa Fe Raiders Invitational. Keystone Heights's Kaylee Parks ran 16.81 in the 100m hurdles for a runner-up finish at the Feb. 27 Providence Invitational.

Brush Fire Near Brooker Contained; Eight North Florida Counties Under Burn Bans

Bradford County Fire Rescue responded to a brush fire in late February at Southwest County Road 18 near Brooker. The fire was contained with no reported injuries, though burn bans were in effect across eight North Central Florida counties at the time.