Former Arizona state Sen. Tony Navarrete found guilty of sexual conduct with a minor
A jury found former state Sen. Otoniel "Tony" Navarrete guilty of sexual conduct with a minor but not guilty on a second sexual conduct charge of molestation of a child.
He faces up to two years in prison on the Class 6 felony conviction, but could also receive probation since he's a first-time offender. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Kristin Culbertson set a sentencing date for late April. If he'd been convicted on the molestation charge, a Class 2 felony, he would have faced a minimum of 13 years in prison.
The verdict followed November's mistrial on similar charges.
The ex-lawmaker wore a blue suit, his face tense even after the verdict was read, offering only slight smiles to family members seated behind him. Culbertson cleared the courtroom after the verdict so lawyers in the case could speak with jurors. Navarrete, with family and friends, gathered outside the courtroom, waiting to go back in for more information about what happens next.
Navarrete declined to speak with a reporter. His lawyer, Adam Feldman, said he would release a statement about the case after sentencing.
Navarrete, a Democrat, was in his third term as a lawmaker when he resigned from office a few days after his August 2021 arrest by Phoenix police. A grand jury then indicted him on seven counts related to molestation allegations by two children. He pleaded not guilty and has steadfastly maintained his innocence.
The jury in the first trial couldn't agree on a verdict, resulting in the November mistrial, but the Maricopa County Attorney's Office refiled the case. This time, it involved four charges and one minor victim, though prosecutors dropped one of the charges, attempted molestation of a child, before the trial.
Court records state the boy alleges that Navarrete began molesting him at age 12 or 13. When he was 14 and 15, the boy said, Navarrete laid down with him while he was sleeping on at least five occasions, touching his penis and sometimes performing oral sex on him. The boy, who was 16 in 2021 when he told authorities what happened, stated he was "fearful" of Navarrete and now suffers from anxiety and anger issues.
A call to Navarrete by one of the victims with police listening in became the lynchpin of the case.
"Of course, I regret any bad actions that I did, absolutely wishing everything could be different. I'm sorry, mijo," Navarrete said on the call.
Navarrete had faced the possibility of a 49-year prison sentence in the first trial involving two victims. The second boy, who was 13 when police began investigating, alleged that Navarrete once attempted to touch his penis, causing him to slap Navarrete's hand away. The former lawmaker rebuffed offers of a plea deal during the first prosecution attempt that would have limited his time behind bars, but still involved years of prison.
Voters in the West Valley's former Legislative District 30 elected Navarrete to the Arizona House in 2016. After serving one term, he ran successfully for the state Senate in 2018 and 2020.
Reach the reporter at rstern@arizonarepublic.com or 480-276-3237. Follow him on X @raystern.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Former state Sen. Navarrete found guilty of sexual conduct with minor
