New York Teacher S3xually Abuses 16-Year-Old Special Needs Student

A New York educator who sexually abused a 16-year-old student at a school for children with special needs has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison, officials confirmed.

Sandy Carazas-Pinez, 36, was given the 25-year sentence along with five years of supervised release on Friday by U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan. She was found guilty of enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, as stated by U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton.

Prosecutors revealed that from November 2022 to February 2023, Carazas-Pinez, previously a New York City public school teacher, manipulated her 16-year-old student into believing they were in a romantic relationship. The abuse took place while she was employed at a city-funded Yonkers school dedicated to children with special needs.

Carazas-Pinez, a married mother of three from Bethel, Connecticut, utilized her cellphone to orchestrate the abuse. She exchanged texts, made calls, and engaged in video chats with the teen to arrange in-person sexual encounters. Authorities reported she also coerced the student to livestream “sexually explicit conduct” during video calls, which she referred to as “gifts.”

New York Teacher sentenced to 25 years for s3xually abusing 16-year-old special needs student

She instructed the teen to secure day passes from his school to leave campus and meet her. They would then drive to and park in various locations across the Bronx, Yonkers, and Staten Island for sexual activity.

During conversations about ending the relationship, Carazas-Pinez allegedly texted the boy, “I know for me it isn’t going to be easy, I will miss your kisses, hugs and everything.” She also sent him sexually suggestive content and repeatedly directed him to delete their communications.

U.S. Attorney Clayton denounced her actions in a statement: “Sexual exploitation by teachers offends every New Yorker. Sandy Carazas-Pinez betrayed her role and, through explicit texts and other means, coerced a 16-year-old into a sexual relationship. Actions of this type by anyone, particularly a teacher or other person of trust, will not be tolerated.”

Carazas-Pinez was dismissed from the Biondi School, operated by the nonprofit Rising Ground, in March 2023.

Judge Cronan had previously ordered Carazas-Pinez into custody after she breached her bail conditions. She was prohibited from having unsupervised contact with minors but emailed another former student just one day after he turned 18 to wish him a happy birthday—behavior her own lawyer described as “troubling” at the time.

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Nnamdi Okoli