Man accused of sexually abusing girls who were his students faces more charges in Miami-Dade

Cesar Cardoso stands accused of sexually abusing girls who were his students when he worked as a teacher at Sunset Park Elementary School in Miami-Dade County. Cardoso, 53, who lost his job in May in Kendall, appeared in court on Thursday. He has been behind bars since Sept. 11, when Miami-Dade Schools Police Department officers arrested him. Attorney Michael Mirer, the defense attorney who is representing Cardoso, asked Miami-Dade County Circuit Judge Zachary James to release him on bond. Court records show Cardoso faced three charges on Sept. 12. Miami-Dade prosecutors have filed 10 more charges since, and said detectives were investigating additional cases. On Thursday night, court records showed Cardoso faced 13 charges: Five counts of dissemination of obscene material to a minorFive counts of offenses against students by authority figuresTwo counts of lewd or lascivious molestation involving a victim under the age of 12 by a defendant who is 18 years of age or olderOne count of lewd or lascivious conduct with a person under 16 years oldJames denied Cardoso bail on the two counts of lewd or lascivious molestation involving a victim under the age of 12 by a defendant who is 18 years of age or older.“My client is adamant that he is not guilty, the allegations are false, and he will look forward to his day in court,” Mirer said. Miami-Dade corrections held Cardoso at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center near Doral, according to inmate records. A judge ordered him to stay away from five victims. Court records show Cardoso’s next hearings are at 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 12 and 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 30.