Teacher Who Admitted Sex Abuse in YouTube Vid Gets 10 Years

Andrea Cardosa admitted in a recorded phone call to multiple instances of abuse of a former student.

A former Southern California school teacher who pleaded guilty to sexually abusing two female students after one of them came forward in a YouTube video that went viral was sentenced to 10 years in prison Monday.

Andrea Cardosa, a former teacher and administrator at two Inland Empire schools, showed no emotion as she was sentenced Monday for sexually abusing two former female students.

The judge allowed NBC4 Los Angeles to record audio of the victim impact statements from both victims, including the first accuser who was 12 years old when Cardosa seduced her while teaching at Chemawa Middle School in Riverside.

"Miss Cardosa preyed on my innocence, my vulnerability and knew I was an easy target," said one of the victims, identified as Jamie C. in her victim impact statement.

Jamie C., 29, first brought attention to the sex abuses in January 2014 by posting a YouTube video in which she secretly recorded Cardosa confessing to the crimes. After the video gained national attention, Cardosa was removed from her assistant principal position at Alhambra High School and charged with multiple counts of child molestation.

Jamie C. said she felt sick to her stomach during sentencing. She is glad she was able to get inner strength to come forward years after the abuse, which began in 1997.

"She could have been working in the district still," Jamie C. said outside court. "Instead, she's going to serve 10 years. And she's going to have to register as a sex offender. So I think that's better than her being on the street."

The second victim was sexually abused by Cardosa beginning in 2009 while she attended Tomas Rivera Middle School.

Cardosa's family and friends refused to talk to reporters outside court.

Cardosa avoided a potential life sentence with the guilty plea to three counts of lewd acts with a child, according to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. She was initially charged with 16 counts.

A second victim came forward after the YouTube video went viral.

"I trusted her, but she preyed on my innocence," one of the victims said Monday.

Both victims are now suing the two school districts where Cardosa worked during the molestations.

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