Arizona school photographer arrested, accused of sexually exploiting minors

GILBERT, Ariz. - A man who worked at a school photo studio has been arrested in connection for alleged sexual exploitation of minors, according to authorities.

The man, identified in court documents as 29-year-old Robert Anthony Lagunas, was arrested at his home in Gilbert on Feb. 2.

Court documents state that an investigation into Lagunas began in November 2022, when a Homeland Security Investigations undercover agent observed that Lagunas, via an account he has on a secure messaging platform, distributed child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in a public chatroom on the platform. The secure messaging platform was only identified in court documents as "Chat Application A."

An undercover agent, according to court documents, gained access to a public chatroom where Lagunas was making comments to other members about images of suspected (CSAM). The comments, which were included in the court documents, are too graphic to be published. Eventually, the undercover agent was able to make contact with Lagunas, who revealed that he was a school photographer. He also told the undercover agent that he had been talking to teens on another chat platform.

Eventually, court documents state that a judge in Maricopa County granted a search warrant that allowed investigators to search Lagunas' Gilbert home. Inside the home, agents reportedly found several CSAM images on a computer located in Lagunas' bedroom.

Lagunas, according to investigators, admitted to molesting two children in California. A judge has set a $100,000 cash-only appearance bond for Lagunas. Should he make bail, he will be subjected to house arrest, and will be banned from any contact with minors, without exceptions. He will also be banned from accessing the Internet via any electronic means, except for work or court.