MIAMI – According to Miami-Dade detectives, the text messages that a 74-year-old man sent to a teenage girl were, “I can be your sugar daddy,” and “tell me what you need and want and I will get it for you.”
Miami-Dade Schools Police Department detectives found Eleizer Santana also texted her, “I miss you, I love you,” “thinking about you,” and “Do you have money or need anything?”
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Records show the teenage girl was a high school student and Santana was a Miami-Dade County Public School employee. A South Miami Senior High School site listed Santana as retired U.S. Army Col. Santana, an instructor in the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program.
In 2018, the former superintendent posed for a picture with Santana, shared it on X, and wrote, “Meet Colonel Eddie Santana, who has dedicated 45 years of service to our nation, our military, and our community. #MDCPSleadership”
Records show the victim reported Santana sexually abused her in the classroom, in his car, during a ceremony where she was the student speaker — and he asked her to keep it all a secret.
The teen reported the case, a Miami-Dade police officer notified the Miami-Dade Schools Police Department about the case and there was an investigation.
“Erase these messages because I don’t want him to be jealous,” Santana wrote in a text message to the student referring to her boyfriend, according to the arrest report.
Records show that on June 7, Santana was arrested at the Miami Dade Schools Police Department, prosecutors filed a felony case, he made his first court appearance, and a judge ordered him to stay away from the victim and avoid unsupervised contact with minors.
Prosecutors first filed five felony charges and a misdemeanor against him.
The five felonies were two counts of sexual offenses against students by authority figures, two counts of lewd, or lascivious touching of certain minors, child abuse, and battery. Prosecutors dropped two charges: Child abuse, a felony, and battery, a misdemeanor.
Records show correctional officers released Santana on a $13,500 bond before his 75th birthday.
A spokesperson for M-DCPS released a statement Thursday saying Santana was terminated and banned from future employment with the district.
In social media accounts with Santana’s photos, the biography included the JROTC M-DCPS job, former Senior Army Advisor for J-3 at U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), and education at Inter-American Defense College and Texas Christian University.
Miami-Dade court records show Santana has a trial hearing at 9:30 a.m., on Dec. 16. Miami-Dade County Circuit Judge Laura Shearon Cruz was presiding over the case.
This is a developing story.
The arrest report
(Warning: This document includes detailed descriptions of sexual abuse)
School district’s statement
Miami-Dade County Public Schools is disturbed by the unsettling allegations made against this individual. Upon learning about this suspected behavior, he was immediately removed from the school site and subsequently arrested after an investigation by the Miami-Dade Schools Police Department. This district is committed to upholding all employees to the highest standard of integrity and respect and this type of comportment will not be tolerated. As a result, his employment with the District was terminated and the individual has been precluded from seeking future employment with the District.
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Local 10 News Assignment Desk Editors Wilson Louis and Joyce Grace O. contributed to this report.