Cuban-born composer and pianist Fernando Rivas has an impressive resume: he has won several awards, composed fifteen musicals and hundreds of songs, has worked for Celia Cruz, Gloria Estefan, Cindy Lauper and Disney, is the author of the musical, Selena, Forever, and has composed for the popular show Sesame Street, winning two Emmys and a Grammy for best 1998 Children¹s Album, ELMOPALOOZA.
Yeah, children,… it seems that Rivas got occupied a little too much with children: on Monday, he was charged ‘with coercing a child to "engage in sexually explicit conduct," production of child pornography, transportation of child pornography and possession of child pornography.’
Really bad! According to Spinner, he was arrested on April 19 when ‘FBI agents stormed Rivas' home, discovering photographs of a 4-year-old girl naked and "restrained in handcuffs and other bondage type devices’.
‘Rivas reportedly admitted to handcuffing the child, taking the photos, and sending them to two others by email.’
In 1998, he relocated in Charleston where he launched a jazz program at a school from 2002 to 2009 and then resigned, pretending having ‘an increasing work outside of his school obligations.’ Yeah, right!
Rivas has pleaded not guilty, and was free on $300,000 bond.
It looks awful, and child molesters are typically looking for jobs that can get them close to kids right? He should not have been released.