A Florida elementary school teacher allegedly subjected young students to a series of abusive acts, including showing them nude images of himself, displaying pornography and slapping girls on the buttocks, police said.
Cesar Oriol Cardoso, 53, allegedly brought girls into his classroom at Sunset Park Elementary School in Miami-Dade, where he showed them explicit images of himself and videos depicting sexual intercourse, according to investigators.
The investigation began in April after police received several allegations involving multiple students. One girl reportedly told investigators that Cardoso showed her an image of a boy, believed to be between 12 and 14, performing a sex act on a woman.
According to Cardoso’s arrest affidavit obtained by Our News Outlet, one student said the teacher would remove her from physical education or lunch and take her to his classroom, where he allegedly displayed inappropriate images and videos on his cellphone.
The material allegedly included photographs of naked women. On another occasion, Cardoso reportedly showed the student an image of a naked adult man.
The girl also told police that Cardoso once showed her a photograph of himself standing fully clothed in front of a mirror. He allegedly asked whether she liked the shirt he was wearing, according to the affidavit.
After she said yes, Cardoso allegedly swiped to another photograph showing him facing the mirror naked, with his genitals exposed, the affidavit said.
Police said the alleged incident was among multiple inappropriate and sexually lewd acts involving girls at the school. Cardoso was fired in April as the allegations came under investigation.
Florida elementary school teacher Cesar Oriol Cardoso, 53, allegedly showed young students nude images of himself, displayed pornography and slapped girls on the buttocks, police said
Cardoso, pictured at his arraignment this week, allegedly brought young girls into his classroom at Sunset Park Elementary School in Miami-Dade and showed them lewd images of himself
Cardoso was arrested on Friday and charged with three felonies: offenses against students by authority figures, lewd and lascivious conduct involving a child under 16, and showing obscene material to a minor.
He remains jailed without bond and has not entered a plea.
The arrest report states that two students accused Cardoso of taking them out of class during the 2024-2025 school year so they could “spend time and play in his classroom.”
One girl said Cardoso approached the students while they were playing and slapped them “on the buttocks.” He allegedly warned that if they continued misbehaving, he would “hit them on the butt,” according to the affidavit.
The same student said that on another occasion, while she was standing near Cardoso’s desk, he showed her a video of two naked adult women lying on a bed.
She alleged that Cardoso also showed her a video of a naked woman on a bed with a young boy aged between 12 and 14 performing a sex act, the affidavit alleged.
Police said they interviewed a young girl at the school in April, and the girl said that on one occasion, Cardoso called her to his desk, and on the table Cardoso had a video on his phone showing a naked man and woman.
The girl told police that this had happened several times before, and once asked ‘if she was scared’ while he allegedly showed her an inappropriate picture.
Cardoso worked at Sunset Park Elementary in Miami Dade, but was fired in April when he came under investigation
The girl said Cardoso once told her he wanted to kiss her, and on another occasion he tickled her inappropriately.
Another girl allegedly told police that Cardoso showed her an inappropriate image on his phone, and when she asked, ‘Why are you showing me that?’, he told her he was ‘sorry’, per the affidavit.
The affidavit said several young girls at the school reported Cardoso allegedly ‘slapping them on the buttocks’, and one girl said he had tried to kiss her, but she ‘turned her head to the side’ to avoid it.
The report said that when investigators interviewed Cardoso in September, he invoked his rights and declined to provide a statement.
Parents at the school said they were appalled to learn of the allegations, as parent Foncisco Medina told WSVN: ‘You figure a kid is safe in school, you know, this is like the safest place in the community, and for somebody to just be here like that under that condition and you have no idea who’s where and what they’re capable of.’
‘My daughter was in his classroom for home room and math so it was the same last year, and then he abruptly left,’ parent Rachel Richard added.
Richard said the allegations were ‘disgusting’, and, ‘When a parent drops their kid off at school, you imagine and hope they’re going to be safe and then they’re not and then the school doesn’t reveal such important information.’
Parents, including this man pictured, at the school said they were appalled to learn of the allegations
Several parents, including this man pictured, said they were ‘disgusted’ by the allegations against their children’s teacher
Following Cardoso’s arrest, the Miami-Dade County Public School District said in a statement that the teacher had been ‘removed’ when it learned of the allegations in April.
‘School administration acted swiftly upon learning of these allegations in April 2026 and removed the teacher from the school setting on the next business day,’ the district said.
‘Miami-Dade Schools Police subsequently launched a formal investigation. The individual separated from M-DCPS in May 2026 and was arrested on September 11, 2026.
‘Behavior of this nature will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Although he is no longer employed by M-DCPS, he is permanently precluded from seeking or obtaining future employment with the District.’
