MIAMI (WSVN) - A former Miami-Dade school teacher, 29-year-old Mauricio Alexander Ruiz, appeared in court over the weekend after being charged with “offenses against a student.”
According to police, in 2021, Ruiz was a part time teacher at West Miami Middle School in Coral Way when he was in communications with a 13-year-old student.
During the course of their relationship, police said, Ruiz requested the victim’s Instagram and started messaging her. That then led to him and the student having FaceTime calls at night.
According to the arrest report, “Ruiz on numerous occasions requested to physically see her outside of her home alone.” He also “Confessed his love to her and sent her naked pictures of his genitals.”
The girl told police that “She had feelings for him. Defe Mauricio Alexander Ruiz sent her fifty dollars ($50) Via Cashapp in return for her pictures.”
“He liked, like mostly all the sixth graders, and just called all the girls pretty,” said Angel Lopez, a student.
Lopez was in Ruiz’s math class at West Miami Middle when Ruiz filled in for another teacher in 2021.
“To be honest, he never talked to anybody like that. Just like some girls,” Lopez said.
Students like Lopez may not have noticed the inappropriate behavior, but the girl also told police she did not know he was a teacher until he became a substitute at West Miami Middle.
Then, during class, “Ruiz would ask her to sit in the back of the class with him so he can tutor her with math.” While he was sitting next to her, “He placed his hand on her inner thigh.”
“I just, It was shocking,” Lopez said.
On Friday, Ruiz was arrested. He was still teaching at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, located at 525 NW 147th St. at the time of his arrest.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools released a statement, which reads as follows, “Conduct such as the one the employee is accused of will not be tolerated. As such, his employment with the district has been terminated and the individual is precluded from seeking future employment with Miami-Dade County Public Schools.”
Ruiz has since bonded out of jail.
7News Monday night went to Ruiz’s home to see if he had any comment on the charges his is facing, but were told to leave.
Police said Ruiz admitted to friend requesting, messaging and asking the victim if she liked older men. He also admitted to sending her the $50.
He now faces a felony charge.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.