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Former Arizona State Senator Tony Navarrete is facing seven charges of felony child sexual misconduct following his August 10 resignation from office.
The Maricopa County Attorney charged Navarette on August 13 with one count of child molestation, five counts of sexual conduct with a minor, and one count of an attempt to commit child molestation. The first six counts allegedly involved one boy and the last account allegedly involved a second boy.
Regarding the first six counts, Navarrete is alleged to have sexually abused a 13-year-old boy while they lived together in a Phoenix residence. The abuse allegedly began around 2017 and continued until the boy was 15. Investigators said they have audio from August 5 in which Navarrete apologized over the phone to the boy for his past abuse.
"Of course I regret any bad actions that I did, absolutely wishing everything could be different," Navarrete allegedly told the boy in the recording, according to local Arizona news station KPHO-TV. The former senator then said he felt unhappy about his actions and would have to live with them for the rest of his life.
Police arrested Navarrete on August 5. In an August 6 joint statement, Arizona Senate and House Democrats called on Navarrete to resign. Arizona Governor Doug Ducey also called on him to resign.
Following his resignation, Republican Senate President Karen Fann and Democratic Leader Rebecca Rios issued a joint statement which said, "We know that the Arizona Judicial Branch will deliver justice and pray for healing and support for all victims."
Navarrete hasn't entered a plea on the charges. "We have no public comment at this time but want to emphasize the importance of the presumption of innocence in this case," Navarrete's lawyer, Roland Rillos, said, according to the Arizona Republic. A judge set Navarrete's bail at $50,000.
He was released on bail on August 7. The court ordered him to not have any contact with minors, surrender his passport and wear an electronic monitor so that legal authorities may track his location.
Navarrete served as an Arizona state representative from 2017 to 2019. He then served as a state senator from 2019 until his arrest.
Now that Navarrete, a Democrat, has resigned, the precinct committee chairmen of his former legislative district must nominate three Democratic candidates to possibly replace him. The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors will choose his replacement from the three candidates, AZ Central reported.
His replacement will then be sworn in and serve until his term ends. Navarrete's term ends in January 2023.
Newsweek contacted Navarrete's lawyer for comment but did not hear back in time for publication.
