By Elizabeth Troutman |

A former Arizona state senator was sentenced to one year in prison on Friday after being found guilty of one charge of sexual conduct with a minor. 

A jury found Otoniel “Tony” Navarrete guilty of sexual conduct with a minor aged 15 or older, a Class 6 felony, in February. His jail sentence will be followed by 10 years of supervised release. He is also now required to register as a sex offender.

Navarrete could be released from jail in less than a year for “good behavior.”

He was acquitted of one count of child molestation and another sexual conduct charge. Had he been convicted of all charges, Navarrete would have faced a minimum mandatory sentence of 49 years in prison. The first-term state senator originally faced a Class 2 felony for molestation of a child, three Class 2 felonies for sexual conduct with a minor, one Class 3 felony for attempted sexual conduct with a minor, and two Class 6 felonies for sexual conduct with a minor.

Navarrete turned down a 60-day sentence followed by 10 years of supervised probation because that deal meant he would have to admit guilt in the crimes, the Arizona Republic reported. He maintained his innocence in statements after the release of the indictment. 

Police first arrested 35-year-old Navarrete in August 2021 after Phoenix police received a tip about sexual conduct with a male minor that occurred in 2019. 

Navarrete, who billed himself as “passionate about justice,” served as co-chair of the Arizona LGBTQ Legislative Caucus while in the state Senate. He served one term in the state House of Representatives, beginning in 2016, then he was elected to the state Senate in 2018. 

Elizabeth Troutman is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send her news tips using this link.