Blade-Tribune – by Kevin Reagan
FLORENCE — A grand jury has indicted a Florence man for sexually abusing children and documenting the acts through digital videos.
Anthony Caldera, 29, was indicted last week on 14 counts of sexual conduct with a minor and sexual exploitation. He allegedly abused at least two victims under the age of 15 between January 2016 and July 2017.
The indictment accuses Caldera of having oral and anal sex with the juvenile victims. He’s also been charged with two counts of aggravated assault for allegedly spitting and urinating on one of the victims.
Investigators recovered six videos and one photograph on the defendant’s phone after his arrest on July 19. One of the videos reportedly shows Caldera having oral sex with a victim, according to court documents, and another allegedly captures the defendant instructing a victim to “get the lotion” before they have sex.
Caldera’s victims claim the defendant beat them with electrical cords and choked them, court documents show. The children accused him of killing a kitten in front of them by choking it and throwing the animal against a wall.
The Florence Police Department said the investigation into Caldera is ongoing and the suspect could be facing additional charges.
Caldera was an employee at the Florence K-8 school, where he worked as a night janitor. According to Florence Unified School District spokesman Richard Franco, Caldera was fired the day he was arrested. Franco said Caldera, because he worked nights, was never in contact with children unless there was an evening event.
Franco said that authorities informed FUSD that they do not believe any of the acts of which Caldera is accused took place on campus. The district sent parents a letter on Monday informing them of what had happened.
The Pinal County Attorney’s Office has filed a motion to increase Caldera’s $50,000 bond, describing him as a “threat to the community.”
Prosecutors argue Caldera would have access to firearms located in his home during the investigation, if released on his current bond amount. This could make him a threat to the victims, law enforcement and himself.
Prosecutors say evidence in this case is “strong” and believe the defendant’s family in California may try to bail him out, making him a flight risk. Prosecutors are asking the court to raise his bond to $250,000.
The majority of offenses against Caldera are Class 2 felonies and classified as “dangerous crimes against children.”
Caldera will have his next court appearance on Aug. 7. If convicted on the present charges, Caldera could spend the rest of his life in prison.
This monster worked at the same school that my daughter attended where a teacher assigned an Ice Cube song about pimps and hookers to a 8th grade English class, then replaced this teacher with another teacher who had been moved from the high school because he was caught texting freshman girls and his cheer coach sister was caught sleeping with a senior student and still kept her job.
What state?
This is in AZ.
A situation only bullets can remedy
“Caldera’s victims claim the defendant beat them with electrical cords and choked them, court documents show.”
Louisville Slugger to the head.
Repeatedly.
Until dead.