A New York Metropolis theater instructor caught with greater than 1,000 heinous pictures and movies of kid intercourse abuse involving youngsters as younger as 6 has been sentenced to 12 and a half years behind bars, authorities mentioned.
Along with a having trove of kid pornography, a few of which included footage of “abuse and rape of kids, infants, and toddlers,” Anthony Michael Souza was discovered to have had intercourse with an underage teen for greater than a yr — and bragged about “grooming” his younger college students, in accordance with Manhattan federal prosecutors.
Souza, 38, met his sufferer, then 15, on Grindr and filmed their sexual activity — and likewise allegedly hosted a “intercourse celebration” through which another person had intercourse with an underage teen, in accordance with court docket data.
He labored as a “instructing artist” on the TADA! Youth Theater of NYC from 2022 to 2023, a gaggle that has obtained greater than $4.3 million in contracts with the DOE and Division of Cultural Affairs since 2010, Susan Edelman reported on her Substack.
Whereas he was not accused of abusing his college students, prosecutors mentioned Souza boasted to an spy in 2024 {that a} Fifth-grade boy he was “grooming” appeared “harmless, confused, uncomfortable,” throughout an trade by way of Snapchat, in accordance with court docket paperwork.
“I educate a category he’s in . . . I used to be giving him eyes,” Souza mentioned in a single sickening message.
The kid rapidly ended the decision and blocked Souza, authorities mentioned.
The predator pedagogue even took movies of his personal college students and shared them along with his fellow pedophiles — together with one revolting clip through which he bounced a totally clothed boy on his groin.
He shared 250 movies and roughly 1,050 pictures containing youngster pornography in a three-year span from 2022 to his arrest in 2024, the US Legal professional for the Southern District of New York mentioned.
Along with the jail time, Souza will spend 5 years on supervised launch after pleading responsible in September to youngster pornography costs. Attorneys for Souza didn’t reply to The Put up’s request for remark.
“New York Metropolis dad and mom trusted Anthony Michael Souza to maintain their youngsters protected, betrayed that belief by sharing ghastly youngster pornography and preying on minors, together with his personal college students,” U.S. Legal professional Jay Clayton mentioned.
Souza was by no means employed by the Division of Training, however did work for a third-party vendor that offered providers to NYC faculties, although the company declined to specify which faculties he labored in.
“NYC Public Faculties gives focused assist in any state of affairs the place college students are immediately impacted, and we stay ready to supply sources if wanted. The security and well-being of scholars stays our prime precedence,” a DOE spokesperson informed The Put up.
Souza was “absolutely vetted and cleared” to work in faculties by the DOE earlier than he was employed, a spokesperson for Tada! NYC theater informed The Put up, including the allegations involved incidents which passed off after he left.
The FBI and DOJ by no means contacted the group, mentioned the spokesperson, who famous the group has a coverage of getting two adults current with youngsters always.
“The fees towards Mr. Souza are horrific and our ideas are with the victims and their households,” the spokesperson mentioned.
The disgraced theater instructor posted a collection of self-pitying messages on his private Fb earlier than he was sentenced.
“Keep in mind me this fashion,” he posted above an image of himself April 6, shortly earlier than his sentence was introduced, prompting a good friend to reply, “Are you okay???”
