A former Broward County JROTC instructor is behind bars after investigators say he repeatedly sexually assaulted a teenage student more than twenty years ago at locations across the county, including a JROTC office in Miramar.
The suspect, 77-year-old Eliezer Santana, was taken into custody Wednesday and is being held without bond at the Broward County jail. Detectives say the alleged abuse took place between 2004 and 2005 and involved a student under his authority in the JROTC program.
According to the arrest report, investigators allege the victim was sexually battered "upwards of 20 times" during that period. They say Santana groomed her with comments like how beautiful she looked and that she "deserves someone who will care for her." The report describes conduct that allegedly included rubbing the victim's thighs and shoulders, sexual intercourse inside the JROTC office when no one else was present, and at least one incident in the backseat of a van in an apartment complex parking lot in Sherman Circle. The allegations span Miramar, Davie and Pembroke Pines and are detailed in an arrest report reviewed by Local 10.
Records also show Santana faced a separate Miami-Dade case in 2004, charging sexual battery by a person in familial or custodial authority. Earlier reporting indicates Miami-Dade Schools Police arrested him in 2024 after allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a student, and the district said he was removed from campus and his employment was terminated. That background, documented by WSVN, now hangs over the new Broward case.
Charges and possible penalties
Court and jail records show Santana was booked into the Broward County Main Jail on July 22. He faces one count of sexual battery by a person in custodial authority involving a victim between the ages of 12 and 18. He is currently being held without bond, according to reporting by Local 10.
Under Florida law, sexual battery committed by someone in a custodial role is charged as a first-degree felony and can carry a maximum prison term of up to 30 years, as outlined by the Florida Legislature.
Investigative threads and school response
The name of the JROTC school is redacted in the arrest report, but investigators say they interviewed a former coworker in May who reported often seeing the victim inside Santana's office with the door closed, though he did not witness any sexual conduct. Another witness told deputies he filed a complaint with the school's principal at the time, alleging Santana was speaking inappropriately to a student, and said he was told the concerns would be addressed. According to the report, police were not notified then.
The investigation is ongoing, and detectives say the case will move through the Broward County court system as formal filings are made. Prosecutors will review the arrest report and decide next steps as hearings are scheduled. Santana is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court, and further public updates are expected through court filings and updated jail records as the case proceeds.
