A disgraced New York City teacher who was fired because of her alleged sexual abuse of a mentally ill underage student was arrested Wednesday over the illicit relationship, the feds announced.
Sandy Carazas-Pinez, 34, is accused of luring the 16-year-old boy — who attended a Yonkers school for children with special needs — into a sexual relationship and convincing him to appear on an X-rated livestream while on a video call with her, according to Manhattan federal prosecutors.
From November 2022 through February of this year, Carazas-Pinez — a Bethel, Ct. married mother of three — groomed the Biondi School student and had sex with him, calling the encounters “gifts,” according to the indictment against her.
The former Big Apple biology teacher sexted with the student and then would repeatedly tell him to delete the images and messages she sent him, the court papers allege.
Carazas-Pinez also allegedly orchestrated encounters off school premises, instructing the teen to get day passes to get out of class so they could meet nearby. She would then pick him up and drive to places in the Bronx, Yonkers and Staten Island to have sex with him, the indictment states.
The student “expressed a desire to end their relationship” — but Carazas-Pinez allegedly coaxed him into continuing by “threatening to remove school privileges” if he didn’t carry on with her, the filing claimed.
Carazas-Pinez managed to keep things under wraps until February when school officials discovered she had been seen off-campus with the teen in her car and “in close contact” with him in her classroom, the court docs state.
She was then fired.
After, during a recorded call in March, the victim asked Carazas-Pinez if the two had been spotted having sex in the car. She merely said the pair were seen in the vehicle together, but didn’t deny that they had intercourse, the indictment alleges.
Carazas-Pinez also texted the student from a new number in March telling him to delete all of their messages, according to the charging document.
She was charged with enticing a minor victim to engage in illegal sexual activity and production of child pornography. She faces 10 years to life in prison if convicted on the top charge.
“Sandy Carazas-Pinez exploited the trust placed in her as a teacher to sexually abuse a teenage student in her care,” Manhattan US Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement.
The Post exclusively reported in March on a slew of text messages Carazas-Pinez — who also previously taught at PS/MS 007 in Harlem and PS/IS 218 in The Bronx — sent the teen that officials had as part of their investigation.
“I know for me it isn’t going to be easy, I will miss your kisses, hugs and everything,” Carazas-Pinez allegedly wrote to the boy when discussing whether to “end it.”
In another message she allegedly said: “I do miss your touch and kisses not going to lie. . . . I sound like a pervert.”
Her husband told The Post at the time that he’d kicked her out over the alleged abuse.
The boy’s mom said that her son suffered from both schizophrenia and mood disorder and she accused the cops of dragging their feet on the investigation because her son is African American.
“It’s the rape of a child with a mental illness,” the mother said. “As a society, we have to prioritize the safety of children who are mentally ill and boys who are sexually assaulted.”
On Wednesday, the mom, whose name The Post is withholding to protect her son’s privacy, said she was “relieved” the alleged pedophile teacher had finally been arrested.
“I’m relieved that she’s finally arrested, and that she no longer has access to my child, or potentially others,” the mom said. “As long as she’s put away and can’t harm any more children, that should be the ultimate goal.”
The boy’s dad reiterated the parents believe law enforcement was too slow to act.
“It’s about time. It just took too long,” he said.
Carazas-Pinez was due to appear in court Wednesday. It was not immediately known who her criminal defense attorney was.