Compton Teacher Charged With Sexually Abusing 3 Teenage Students

COMPTON (CBSLA.com) — A teacher at a Compton charter school could face up to six years in state prison after he was charged with sexually abusing three female students.

The District Attorney's Office announced Friday 55-year-old Juan Ramon Cardoza, a teacher at the New Designs Charter School's Watts Campus, would be arraigned on May 15.

Cardoza is charged with  four felony counts of committing a lewd act upon a child and one misdemeanor count of child molesting.

Prosecutors say the alleged abused occurred on campus and involved a 13-year-old girl and two 14-year-old girls between October 1, 2012 and March 11 of this year.

Cardoza was taken into custody on Wednesday. Jail records show he was released on bail Friday.

School officials have yet to issue comment on Cardoza's employment status.

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