Ex-Educator Confronted By Victim In YouTube Video Pleads Guilty To Molestation
RIVERSIDE (CBSLA.com) — A former school administrator who had been accused of molesting a woman who later confronted her in a recorded telephone call that went viral on YouTube pleaded guilty Friday to felony charges.
Andrea Michelle Cardosa, 41, of Perris, could face up to 10 years, eight months in prison when she's sentenced by Riverside County Superior Court Judge Helios Hernandez on Feb. 9.
Cardosa admitted three counts of lewd acts on a minor as part of a plea agreement reached with the District Attorney's Office after several weeks of negotiations, according to Supervising Deputy District Attorney John Henry.
He said Friday's proceeding at the Riverside Hall of Justice was a status hearing to confirm a scheduled preliminary hearing, which would have culminated in a judge deciding if there was sufficient evidence to warrant a trial in the case.
In exchange for her admissions, the DA.'s office dropped 13 other sex-related charges pending against the defendant, as well as multiple sentence-enhancing allegations of targeting multiple victims in a sex crime.
Henry said the two victims were informed about the agreement beforehand.
"The way we anticipated this going at trial, we felt this was the most appropriate way to resolve this case, taking into account various factors," Henry said.
Cardosa has no prior felony convictions.
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Cardosa was arrested last February on suspicion of molesting two underage girls while she worked as a teacher and assistant principal in Riverside County. She was subsequently charged with 16 counts of illegal sexual contact with a child.
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She became the focus of national attention just over a year ago, after a 28-year-old woman posted a videotaped phone confrontation with Cardosa, accusing her of sexual abuse 16 years earlier, which the defendant appeared to acknowledge.
Shortly afterward, a second woman, now 19, came forward, making similar allegations.
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