Statutory rape charge dismissed against campaign manager of Miami-Dade mayoral candidate
The campaign manager of a Miami-Dade mayoral candidate won’t face charges including statutory rape after his 17-year-old accuser recanted his statements to prosecutors, to television interviewers and on social media.
Prosecutors in the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office had no choice but to not file formal charges against 34-year-old Hialeah resident Andy Santana, campaign manager for Alex Otaola’s 2024 run for the seat held by Danielle Levine Cava, who won re-election.
Friday’s closeout memo by assistant state attorney Angel Sierra said” “It was determined that No Action is appropriate given the fact the victim has recanted the allegations three separate times on different forums. As well as, no evidence of sexual activity or drug use exists between [Santana] and the Victim.”
Neither Santana nor his listed attorney, Armando Hernandez, responded to requests for comment from the Miami Herald.
Santana had been out of jail on bond since Oct. 4, the day after his arrest by Hialeah police on charges of unlawful sexual activity with a specified minor and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
READ MORE: Campaign manager of defeated Miami-Dade mayoral candidate charged with rape
An arrest report says a 17-year-old claimed Santana had kissed him; pressured him to use “poppers,” a recreational drug often used to make anal penetration easier; and engaged in an illegal sexual relationship from May to September, often at Santana’s house.
The report said the 17-year-old brought “lewd pictures and a video corroborating his allegations.”
Same person, different story
But, on Nov. 1, 2024, the 17-year-old told prosecutors he went to Hialeah police with the Santana allegations on orders from a masked man who had threatened him.
“When asked why he didn’t report the masked individual, the victim stated he thought he would be endangering his family back in Cuba,” Sierra’s closeout memo said.
The boy said he took the photo of him kissing Santana on the lips just “to make his boyfriend back in Cuba jealous and that nothing sexual happened after the fact.”
The boy told Spanish language network Telemundo the same thing and repeated it on his Instagram story, the closeout memo said.
