YONKERS, NY – A former Yonkers high school teacher, SANDY CARAZAS-PINEZ, 36, of Bethel, Connecticut, will spend the next 25 years behind bars after being sentenced today for the sexual exploitation of a 16-year-old student. U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan delivered the sentence in White Plains federal court, following CARAZAS-PINEZ’s guilty plea. The case, prosecuted by the Southern District of New York, lays bare a horrifying betrayal of trust and a calculated abuse of power.
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton didn’t mince words, stating, “Sexual exploitation by teachers offends every New Yorker.” According to court documents, CARAZAS-PINEZ, employed at a Yonkers school serving kindergarten through 12th grade (“School-1”), systematically groomed and coerced the student, identified as “Minor Victim-1,” into a sexual relationship between November 2022 and February 2023. The indictment detailed a pattern of manipulation and control designed to isolate and exploit the vulnerable teen.
The abuse wasn’t confined to simple advances. CARAZAS-PINEZ singled out the victim for special attention, then used that attention to build a false narrative of romance. Court records reveal a disturbing level of premeditation. CARAZAS-PINEZ used her personal cellphone for explicit communication, including arranging encounters and demanding the victim participate in live-streamed sexual acts, referring to these acts as “gifts” in text messages. She also sent sexually suggestive photos and then relentlessly pressured the victim to delete them, attempting to erase evidence of her crimes.
The scheme extended beyond digital exploitation. CARAZAS-PINEZ actively facilitated in-person encounters, instructing the victim to obtain day passes from School-1 under false pretenses. She would then pick up the student near campus and drive to various locations throughout the Bronx, Yonkers, and Staten Island, where she engaged in sexual intercourse and attempted further acts. The details paint a picture of a predator meticulously planning and executing her abuse, leveraging her position of authority to evade detection and control her victim.
The 25-year prison sentence is followed by five years of supervised release. Clayton lauded the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York City Police Department for their work on the case. The prosecution was handled by the Office’s Civil Rights and Human Trafficking Unit, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitzi S. Steiner leading the charge. This case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers lurking within institutions meant to protect our children and the importance of vigilant investigation and prosecution of those who abuse their positions of trust.
Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments. The victim’s name is being withheld to protect their privacy. Anyone with information regarding similar cases of abuse is urged to contact the FBI or their local law enforcement agency. This is a wound on the community that will take years to heal, and justice, while served, can’t fully repair the damage done.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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