AZ Dem State Senator and LGBTQ Caucus Member Tony Navarrete Arrested for Sexual Conduct with a Minor

Arizona Democratic State Senator and LGBTQ Caucus member Tony Navarrete has been arrested and charged with sexual conduct with a minor, according to the Phoenix Police Department.

Police officials say that the sexual conduct with a minor happened in 2019, among other crimes.

In a statement, the Senate Democrats confirmed that one of their members was arrested and that that they had no further comment at this time.

#BREAKING: Authorities release mugshot for Arizona state Senator Tony Navarrete, who's accused of sexual conduct with a minor. https://t.co/cZw5gEvnNF pic.twitter.com/rx4IfkplLP

— FOX 10 Phoenix (@FOX10Phoenix) August 6, 2021

In his Twitter bio, Navarrete describes himself as “passionate about justice.” He also is co-chair of the AZ Latino Legislative Caucus.

AZ Republican State Senator Wendy Rogers took aim at the LGBTQ Caucus and shared the news of their formation in 2017 in a tweet while taking them to task over having one of their members charged with such a heinous crime.

“Isn’t one of these guys the senator who was just arrested and ‘faces multiple counts of sexual conduct with a minor, among other charges?'” Rogers asked.

Rogers wondered, “How about we stop talking about the bedroom all of the time or better yet, just be moral? Thoughts?”

Isn't one of these guys the senator who was just arrested and "faces multiple counts of sexual conduct with a minor, among other charges". How about we stop talking about the bedroom all of the time or better yet, just be moral? Thoughts?https://t.co/WR6zTL5ujA

— Wendy Rogers (@WendyRogersAZ) August 6, 2021

Arizona Republican State Senator Kelly Townsend was reportedly the first state senator to respond to the charges in a tweet where she said, “I will take the position of innocent until proven guilty. However, if it’s true, then I don’t ever want to lay eyes on you again, @NavarreteAZ. I pray for your victims and I demand justice be done to it’s fullest extent.”

Sen. @AZKellyT is the first senator to publicly comment on Navarrete’s arrest after learning what it was for. https://t.co/QojsjBRdYc

— Julia Shumway (@JMShumway) August 6, 2021

According to local reporter Julia Shumway, Navarrete’s initial court appearance is this afternoon at 2 p.m and defense attorney John Phebus will represent him.

.@NavarreteAZ's initial court appearance for multiple counts of sexual misconduct with a minor is this afternoon at 2 p.m. I'm told Glendale defense atty John Phebus will represent him.

— Julia Shumway (@JMShumway) August 6, 2021

Shumway, who was recently blocked by Rogers, was one of the first to report on the news, but apparently it gave her a “sleepless night” because she was concerned she didn’t have all the information.

“Something they don’t teach in journalism school is that you’ll have sleepless nights whenever you have to write a potentially life-ruining story about somebody, no matter how confident you are that you reported only the available facts,” Shumway said in a tweet this morning.

something they don’t teach in journalism school is that you’ll have sleepless nights whenever you have to write a potentially life-ruining story about somebody, no matter how confident you are that you reported only the available facts

— Julia Shumway (@JMShumway) August 6, 2021