DAVIE, Fla. – A jiu-jitsu instructor and owner of Raiva Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Davie appeared in court Wednesday, where he was ordered held without bond following his arrest on lewd and lascivious misconduct charges involving three teenage girls.
The Broward County judge granted Joao Da Silva, 34, a $75,000 bond for each of two charges of lewd and lascivious molestation on a victim 12 to 16 years old and another $75,000 for lewd and lascivious molestation on a victim who is 16 or 17.
The judge, however, ordered that no bond be granted for an additional charge of lewd and lascivious molestation involving a victim less than 12 years old.
According to Davie police, one of the victims, who is now 13, claimed Da Silva touched her breast under his bra about three times a week for the past three years she has taken classes at the center.
The other victims are 15 and 17.
According to an arrest report, Davie police were notified about the accusations on June 20.
Police said the 15-year-old girl also told detectives that she was touched under her bra by Da Silva about two weeks before she reported the incident to authorities.
The incidents involving the 17-year-old allegedly happened in Davie and in Hollywood.
According to Hollywood police detectives, the teen said there were several occasions when Da Silva, whom she knew to be married, placed his hands inside of her martial arts uniform during her training sessions.
Police said the victim said the studio had camps at Hollywood Beach over the summer.
According to the victim, sometime after June 8, she and Da Silva were in the water with two younger children who were in floating rings.
The teen told police that she and Da Silva were holding on to the younger children so they wouldn't float away.
She said she was talking to Da Silva about a guy she was dating, at which time she said Da Silva told her he had to teach her what to do with a guy.
According to a complaint affidavit, Da Silva told the teen to move the bottom of her bathing suit so he could show her how to be properly positioned.
He then told her to wrap her legs around him and moved her bathing suit so her vagina was exposed, authorities said.
Police said Da Silva then placed his penis on the victim's vagina, but did not penetrate her.
The victim told police that she began to panic and got out of the water.
Da Silva was taken into custody on Tuesday.