Deputies said the relationship began through text messages and later led to encounters at the teacher’s Kendall-area apartment.
MIAMI, FL — A former charter school band teacher faces three felony charges after investigators accused him of having sexual encounters with a 15-year-old student at his apartment near Dadeland Mall.
Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Heihachiro Nakashima, 33, on Tuesday after he surrendered to authorities. He is charged with three counts of lewd and lascivious battery. The allegations are contained in an arrest warrant, and the charges have not been proven in court.
Nakashima worked at Palm Glades Preparatory Academy, a charter school at 22655 SW 112th Ave. in the unincorporated Princeton area, according to deputies. Authorities described him as a former band teacher but did not immediately provide the dates of his employment or say when he stopped working at the school.
Investigators said the relationship began with text messages between Nakashima and the student. According to the warrant, Nakashima assumed what authorities described as a parental role and frequently told the student he loved her. The girl initially understood those statements as platonic and viewed him as a father figure, deputies said.
The communications later developed into an inappropriate relationship, according to the warrant. Deputies alleged that Nakashima expressed a desire to have a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship with the teenager. Investigators said sexual encounters then occurred at his apartment in the Kendall area. Authorities did not publicly release a detailed timeline of the alleged conduct.
Nakashima appeared before Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer on Wednesday. His attorney told the court that Nakashima had no prior criminal history and was not likely to flee while the case was pending.
Glazer set Nakashima’s bond at $15,000. She also ordered him placed on house arrest with GPS monitoring and directed him to have no contact with the student. Court records available Wednesday did not indicate whether Nakashima had entered a plea.
The Florida Charter School Alliance was contacted for comment on behalf of Palm Glades Preparatory Academy, but a response had not been reported as of Wednesday afternoon. School officials also had not publicly said whether Nakashima was removed, resigned or otherwise left his position.
Investigators have not announced whether they believe other students were involved. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office asked anyone with information related to the case to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477. The criminal case remained pending Wednesday.
Author note: Last updated July 15, 2026.