‘Rising star’ Democrat Arizona State Senator is arrested over claims of sexual conduct with a child in 2019 days after announcing he tested positive for COVID despite being vaccinated
Arizona State Senator Tony Navarrete, 35, has been arrested on charges of sexual conduct with a minor related to a 2019 incident
A Democratic politician from Arizona has been arrested on suspicion of having sexual conduct with an underage boy, just days after he revealed his COVID-19 diagnosis.
State Senator Otoniel 'Tony' Navarrete, 35, from Phoenix, was taken into custody on Thursday in connection with an unspecified incident involving a minor, described only as a juvenile male, that took place in 2019. The age of consent in Arizona is 18.
Police said Navarrete was charged with multiple counts of sexual conduct with a minor, among other offenses.
The Phoenix Police Department so far has not revealed any details concerning the allegations against Navarrete. DailyMail.com reached out to the agency seeking further comment and is awaiting a reply.
Police have not released any details concerning the allegations against the Democrat
Navarrete has represented Phoenix in the State Senate since 2018 after previously serving in the state House for one term
As of Friday morning, Navarrete was not listed among current inmates at the Maricopa County Jail.
Arizona Senate Democrats acknowledged that one of their members has been arrested, reported AZfamily.com.
'We are deeply disturbed by what we've learned from recent media reports about the arrest of Senator Tony Navarrete. As Senate Democrats we stand with all survivors of sexual assault... These allegations and arrest are serious and deeply troubling.
'Right now, it’s important to allow for due process to take place through our judicial system. We are closely monitoring the situation and are anxious for the facts of this ongoing investigation to be revealed.'
Navarrete's arrest comes just days after the rising-star Democrat revealed that he tested positive for COVID-19 last week, despite being fully vaccinated since February. The state senator said he was isolating at home and his symptoms were mild.
'COVID-19 cases are ever increasing in Arizona and across the country and we must be vigilant,' he said in a statement on Tuesday. 'Luckily with the vaccine, my diagnosis is not a death sentence, but an uncomfortable inconvenience. I know people are tired and frustrated but it's time to go back to masking. The best defense is getting vaccinated and masked in public and crowded spaces.'
Navarrete's arrest came just days after he announced his COVID-19 diagnosis, saying that he caught the virus despite being fully vaccinated
A native Arizonan, Navarrete was elected to the state House of Representatives in 2016 and served one term before being elected to the state Senate in 2018. He also serves as deputy director of Promise Arizona, a non-profit organization.
Arizona Capitol Times reported that Navarrete had been considered a rising star in the Democratic Party and was expected to run for state treasurer.
Little is known about Navarrete's personal life beyond the fact that he is openly gay. In 2020, he opposed a bill that sought to ban sex education in elementary and middle schools, saying that he might have been able to come out sooner had his teachers been able to answer his questions about homosexuality, according to the Times.