Tony Navarrete: Ex-Arizona state senator found guilty of sexual conduct with a minor

PHOENIX - A jury in Arizona has delivered a split verdict for Otoniel "Tony" Navarrete, an ex-Arizona state senator who stepped down over a sexual misconduct scandal.

In a video provided by officials with the Maricopa County Superior Court on Feb. 29, the jury in the case announced that they had found Navarrete guilty of one count of sexual conduct with a minor.

At the same time, the jury found Navarrete not guilty of child molestation, as well as another count of having sexual conduct with a minor. Court records show a fourth count - Attempt to commit molestation of a child - was dismissed via a motion filed by prosecutors on Feb. 22.

Navarrete was arrested in 2021 for alleged sexual misconduct involving a boy with whom he was living over a period of several years, according to court records. The boy accused Navarrete of touching him inappropriately when he was around 12 or 13.

The alleged misconduct, according to reports at the time, continued until the boy’s 15th birthday.

Navarrete was first elected as the State Representative for Arizona's 30th District in 2016. In 2018, he was elected to serve as the district's state senator.

Otoniel "Tony" Navarrete

Navarrete resigned after the allegations came to light, and then-State Rep. Raquel Terán was selected as his replacement. Terán later resigned from the seat in order to run for the congressional seat currently held by Ruben Gallego. Gallego is running for the Arizona Senate seat currently held by Democrat-turned-Independent Kyrsten Sinema.

Court records show sentencing for Navarrete is scheduled for April 26.