Cardosa was arrested on a $5-million arrest warrant at about 5:45 p.m. in the city of Perris by a Riverside County sheriff's warrant team, according to the department.
Cardosa was charged with 16 felony counts, including five counts of aggravated sexual assault on a child under the age of 14; five counts of lewd acts on a child under the age of 14; and six counts of lewd acts on a child 14 or 15 years of age while the defendant is at least 10 years older than the victim.
Each of the counts applies to a victim known as Jane Doe 1, except for one count involving Jane Doe 2. Cardosa is expected to be arraigned on Thursday.
The aggravated sexual assaults on a child counts carry potential life sentences.
The case came to light after a 28-year-old woman, who identifies herself as "Jamie X," posted a video on YouTube last month showing her making a call to confront Cardosa about the abuse allegations. In the video, Jamie claims she was sexually abused for years, beginning at the age of 12, by her teacher, Andrea Cardosa, at Chemawa Middle School in Riverside.
Days later, a second victim came forward claiming she was molested by Cardosa back in 2010. The 18-year-old woman identified as "Brianne" said she was 14 when she was molested by Cardosa, who was a teacher in the Val Verde Unified School District in Perris.
The video also was sent to the Alhambra Unified School District, where Cardosa was working as an assistant principal. Officials referred the case to police, and Cardosa resigned from her post at Alhambra High School.
The Riverside Unified School District confirmed Cardosa was a temporary status teacher at Chemawa Middle School and resigned in 1999. Officials wouldn't say why Cardosa resigned, but it was around the same time Jamie said she was molested.
An attorney for the alleged second victim filed lawsuits Wednesday, Jan. 22, against the Riverside Unified School District and the Val Verde Unified School District.
"Both school districts were negligent and fell asleep, they weren't protecting the kids," said attorney Luis Carrillo. "[The Riverside] district ignored it, gave a positive recommendation to Ms. Cardosa and then she got a new job at Val Verde Unified School District, where she committed other acts."
The Alhambra Unified School District said no students at Alhambra High School have come forward with allegations against the former administrator.
