BITE MARKS. SCARS. SECRET CODES IN GOOGLE DOCS. BOCA RATON TEACHER IN CUSTODY.
COPS: ”1120 Words” Means “Meet At 11:20 a.m.” Sex In DKJA Classrooms, Offices.
UPDATE 5:39 p.m. — Bond is now set at $500,000. It has not been posted.
BY: ANDREW COLTON | Editor and Publisher — BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2025 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — A teacher at the Donna Klein Jewish Academy in Boca Raton is facing felony charges after police say he engaged in a months-long sexual relationship with a student — at times having sex in Donna Klein Jewish Academy classrooms and offices. Elias Gordon Farley, 26, of Boca Raton was taken into custody by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and charged with unlawful sexual activity with a minor and offenses against students by authority figures. The arrest follows an investigation into allegations that Farley utilized his position in the school’s science department to groom and abuse the victim beginning earlier this year.
“This is a difficult time for all of us at Donna Klein,” said a school spokesperson to BocaNewsNow.com shortly after the news organization first broke the story. “We are approaching this serious situation with the utmost care, keeping the well-being of our students, faculty, and families at the forefront. We are steadfast in our commitment to providing a safe and secure environment for everyone in our school community. “
According to the probable cause affidavit obtained by BocaNewsNow.com, PBSO detectives started an investigation in mid-November after the student disclosed the relationship to a teacher in the art department. The student reportedly showed the teacher bruises and bite marks, claiming they were caused by Farley, and revealed that the two had been intimately involved. The teacher immediately told school administrators who contacted the Department of Children and Families and law enforcement. Detectives say the relationship escalated from intellectual conversations about psychology in the spring of 2025 to physical sexual contact by September, which allegedly took place inside a classroom and a science office on school grounds.
Investigators allege that Farley and the student went to great lengths to hide their communication, utilizing a shared Google Document to write messages back and forth rather than texting, specifically to avoid leaving a digital trail on their phones. As part of their code, “1120 words” allegedly meant they would meet at 11:20 a.m. Police obtained access to the Google Doc through a search warrant and saw the document also contained explicit narratives of their encounters. The police report indicates that the physical relationship eventually moved beyond school grounds, with the student visiting Farley’s apartment on Mizner Lane on multiple occasions when his roommate was out of town.
The affidavit outlines encounters involving sexual intercourse that occurred both on school property and at Farley’s residence. Detectives executed a search warrant at Farley’s apartment on December 1st, where they located furniture matching the detailed description provided by the student, as well as physical evidence corroborating the sexual acts. Additionally, school security footage reviewed by deputies allegedly shows Farley and the student entering and exiting offices and classrooms alone, sometimes staying inside for an hour at a time.
When questioned by police at his apartment, Farley invoked his right to counsel and declined to give a statement regarding his suspension from the school. He was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail on charges that include second-degree felonies for sexual activity with a minor and abusing his authority as a teacher. He is being held without bond.
Police say the victim’s parents and school officials cooperated fully with the investigation, providing access to digital accounts and surveillance video that helped secure the arrest warrant.
“DKJA will be working closely with all students, faculty and staff to provide resources and support where needed and to ensure a safe, compassionate and educational environment for all to continue to learn and thrive as we navigate this difficult time together, ” said the school spokesperson. “Because this is an ongoing matter and out of respect for the privacy of our community, we are unable to provide further detail regarding this matter at this time.”
