by Staff Reporter | Oct 16, 2026 | Education, News
By Staff Reporter |
Federal authorities arrested a third grade teacher in Phoenix on child pornography charges last week.
Gabriel “Gabe” Lorenzo Chacon, 32, taught at Encanto Elementary School in the Osborn School District. Chacon was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and charged with two counts of distributing, possessing, and accessing child pornography.
Investigators report that Chacon was a member of The Ganymedean Brotherhood, a group chat in which users shared child pornography and sexual abuse material, with a focus on babies and infants.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operation Unit learned of Chacon after receiving a tip from an undercover law enforcement officer in Australia monitoring The Ganymedean Brotherhood.
In the complaint against Chacon filed with the Arizona District Court, Chacon admitted to authorities that he was in a child pornography group chat and had saved child pornography to a website, but denied ever acting on what he described as his “fantasy.” The illicit files connected to Chacon contained visuals of victims that ranged in age from infants to teenagers.
Messages included in court documents reflect that Chacon appeared to have considered acting on his fantasies. In one message, Chacon asked his group chat what they would do alone in their classrooms if they were teachers. Chacon reportedly sent the message under his handle, “ND Dom,” during parent teacher conferences earlier this month.
“Hey friends, let’s say hypothetically you were a teacher and you had 3 hours to kill alone in your classroom afterschool [sic], what would you do [3 devil emojis],” asked Chacon.
The complaint reported that the undercover officer saw Chacon’s message and began to converse with him in a direct message. Chacon admitted to the officer that he was interested in children 10 years old and younger, mostly boys; revealed that he was a third grade teacher in Phoenix; and divulged that he would give “bj’s” between classes if he could.
Chacon also said he was into “brutal” sex acts with children. Between messaging nude pictures of himself and describing his pedophilic fantasies, Chacon repeatedly expressed his allegiance to Satan.
“Hail satan,” wrote Chacon.
When the undercover officer asked if Chacon had any sexual experience with children, Chacon claimed that he had while he was “babysitting back in high school.”
Chacon also told the officer that education was the perfect employment for alleged child predators such as himself, and that Phoenix was big enough to find “like minded [sic] friends.” Chacon went on to send the officer five videos of pre-pubescent boys being sexually abused by adult men.
“It’s a great gig for brothers like us,” wrote Chacon.
Chacon’s public social media activity indicated that he was a supporter of progressive causes and Democratic candidates, and that he practiced witchcraft.
In one X post, Chacon said he was “vaguely associated with the occult.” On the Reddit forum r/witchcraft, Chacon advised a user that hyacinth, a plant, was “great for curse breaking and love spells” in his practice.
Chacon received his master’s degree in education from Northern Arizona University last year while teaching. Prior to settling in Phoenix, Chacon’s Facebook page reflects that he resided in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The Osborn School District issued a statement denying any knowledge of Chacon’s illegal activities. This semester marked Chacon’s third year teaching at Encanto Elementary School. Chacon previously taught at Solano Elementary School.
“We were assured that law enforcement had no information that any Osborn Elementary School students were connected in any way to the reported criminal behavior,” read the statement. “The District is fully cooperating with law enforcement in its investigation. Immediately upon learning of Mr. Chacon’s arrest, the District placed him on administrative leave, restricted his access to district technology and buildings, and reported the information to the Arizona State Board of Education.”
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Oct 10, 2026 | Education, News
By Ethan Faverino |
Grand Canyon University (GCU) announced this week the appointment of Phoenix attorney James Williams as the inaugural dean of its College of Law, marking another step toward the university’s plans to establish a law school centered on academic excellence, professional development, and Christian principles.
Williams will oversee the development of GCU’s 12th college, which aims to prepare future attorneys through rigorous legal education while emphasizing faith, integrity, justice, and service to others.
“We are grateful James answered the calling to serve as the inaugural dean of the College of Law,” stated GCU President Brian Mueller. “There are many accomplished attorneys who understand the law. What makes James uniquely suited for this role is the way he brings together legal excellence, a passion for teaching and mentoring, and a deeply rooted Christian faith.”
Mueller emphasized that the university intends to take a different approach to legal education by incorporating Christian worldview principles, free-market thinking, and a commitment to public service into its academic programs.
“We are not simply building another law school. We have an opportunity to rethink what legal education can look like when academic excellence, Christian worldview principles and free market thinking are joined with a strong sense of purpose,” said President Mueller. “We want to develop attorneys who pursue truth and justice, serve others with integrity and understand the tremendous responsibility that comes with the influence they will have in their communities. James understands that vision because he has lived it throughout his career.”
The College of Law could welcome its first class as early as fall 2027, pending regulatory approval.
GCU is currently pursuing authorization through the Arizona Supreme Court, the Higher Learning Commission, and the Arizona Board for Private Postsecondary Education.
The university also plans to seek accreditation from the American Bar Association (ABA), a separate process expected to take multiple years.
If authorized by the Arizona Supreme Court, eligible graduates could pursue admission to practice law in Arizona, subject to applicable requirements. Upon receiving ABA accreditation, GCU would become Arizona’s third ABA-accredited law school, joining Arizona State University and the University of Arizona.
Williams brings 18 years of legal experience in Arizona and currently serves as an attorney and shareholder at Phoenix-based law firm Schmitt Schneck Even & Williams.
A graduate of Baylor University School of Law, Williams also serves as president of the Phoenix chapter of the Christian Legal Society, where he has been a board member for approximately a decade.
In addition to his legal practice, Williams has worked with students at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, helping coach its mock trial competition program and mentoring aspiring attorneys.
Williams said the opportunity to establish a law school from the ground up was a significant factor in his decision to accept the position.
“Starting from the ground up gives us the opportunity to be very intentional about the kind of law school we want to become and, more importantly, the kind of lawyers we want to develop,” Williams said. “GCU students will be challenged academically, prepared professionally and encouraged to think deeply about the purpose of their work and the responsibility they have to serve others. I am confident this is a work God has begun in and through GCU, and that He will be faithful to complete it.”
His involvement in Christian leadership extends beyond the legal profession. Williams serves as an elder and worship leader at New City Church in Phoenix, reflecting his longstanding commitment to integrating faith with professional responsibilities.
Williams said he hopes the new college will develop attorneys who are not only capable legal professionals but also individuals committed to serving their communities and upholding the rule of law.
“My hope is that GCU will develop lawyers who are exceptional advocates and legal thinkers, but also men and women of courage, humility, integrity and faith who understand that their profession is ultimately about serving people,” Williams added. “If we can send graduates into courtrooms, businesses, government agencies and communities with that mindset, the impact can extend far beyond the practice of law. That is the kind of law school we intend to build.”
The establishment of the College of Law represents another expansion of GCU’s academic offerings as the university works toward introducing a new legal education program in Arizona.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Oct 9, 2026 | Education, News
By Staff Reporter |
The Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) has confirmed an independent review of the Arizona State University (ASU) hockey team coaching staff will take place.
Rep. Matt Gress (R-LD4) and Sen. Hildy Angius (R-LD30), who called for the independent review last week in their respective roles as chairs of the House and Senate education committees, thanked ABOR in a joint press release on Monday.
Matthew Mayich, a 21-year-old Canadian, collapsed from heat stroke during a workout with the ASU hockey team in August. Mayich had recently transferred to ASU and had only been in the Valley for about a week before he was subjected to an outdoor workout let by an outside workout instructor with a military background. Mayich is currently in a coma and on life support; while his family holds out for a recovery, his lawyers say it would take “a miracle.”
ASU acceded to requests from lawmakers and Mayich’s family for an independent review and last Friday appointed Scott Bales, a former chief justice of the Arizona Supreme Court, to lead it.
ASU is maintaining a dedicated page addressing the incident and all related updates.
“The Board has confirmed that Chief Justice Bales will examine what happened to Matthew Mayich on August 20 and what happened afterward,” said Gress. “That is what we asked for. Chief Justice Bales is highly respected, and we appreciate the Board of Regents and ASU giving him the independence and access he needs to get the facts.”
Bales was tasked with reviewing the facts identified by ASU, the Mayich family attorneys, ASU hockey team members’ attorneys, and law enforcement agencies.
Members of the ASU hockey team issued a statement of facts through counsel that largely disputed the initial analysis published by ASU.
Additionally, Bales will make recommendations on planning and approval of outdoor athletic activities; staffing, policies, and procedures for outdoor athletic activities; preparation for and response to adverse events or reactions occurring during outdoor activities; and use of outside consultants in the planning and delivery of strength and conditioning and practice activities.
ASU requested Bales complete his review by early December, and promised that additional updates would be provided as they become available.
ABOR Chair Doug Goodyear told Gress and Angius in a letter on Monday that President Michael Crow provided ABOR with updates and a plan for Bales’ independent review.
Per Goodyear, Bales will have full access to university information including staff, records, and policies, with full cooperation of university staff. The review will allow for anonymity to prevent reprisals, and Bales has license to hire any and all outside help he feels is necessary to complete the review.
“Justice Bales is a man of unquestioned integrity and independence,” said Goodyear. “As an Arizonan, he has a real commitment to helping this community understand the circumstances of this tragic event, and he will have both the access and the resources to do this job well.”
Mayich’s family issued a statement through lawyers contending that the independent review already falls short because it doesn’t address who bears responsibility for Mayich’s collapse. One of their lawyers, Rob Carey, stated as much to CBC News.
“What is necessary, and what the Mayich family has asked for and deserves, is an investigation of what went wrong on that field and who is responsible,” said Carey. “Justice Bales has not been asked to answer those fundamental questions.”
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Oct 6, 2026 | Education, News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO) found that Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) violated Arizona’s Open Meeting Law, according to a Sept. 22 letter that directly contradicts the district’s subsequent claim that no violation had been found.
“MCAO concluded that an Open Meeting Law violation has occurred,” Deputy County Attorney Caitlyn Mitchell wrote to complainant Michael Bengert in the letter.
The investigation concerned SUSD’s Phase II Design Advisory Team, whose work involved proposals for repurposing, consolidating, or closing district schools. Mitchell said investigators reviewed Governing Board meeting recordings, accompanying agendas, and supplemental information provided by Bengert.
SUSD General Counsel Renee Osipov subsequently disputed statements that MCAO had found a violation.
“Scottsdale Unified School District has received communication and a public comment indicating that the Maricopa County Attorney’s office found the District in violation of the Open Meeting Law (OML) with respect to the operation of the Phase II Design Team. This is inaccurate,” Osipov wrote in a correspondence with Bengert shared with AZ Free News.
“The County Attorney did not issue adverse findings, did not cite the District for an OML violation, and did not initiate any corrective action,” she added.
The district also published that position on its website Oct. 1.
MCAO’s Sept. 22 letter expressly states that the office informed SUSD of its conclusions.
“MCAO has informed SUSD of its findings and conclusions, recommended that SUSD revise its future use of superintendent appointed committees, and requested that the SUSD Governing Board acknowledge the results of this investigation publicly at the open meeting to discuss the Phase II Team’s recommendations,” Mitchell wrote.
The office said the team had completed its work, making it too late to require corrective action concerning future team meetings. The letter stated that the investigation was closed and did not announce a penalty.
An earlier letter to district counsel on Sept. 16 detailed the office’s reasoning.
“Although the creation of SUSD’s Phase II Design Advisory Team (‘Phase II Team’) does not—as a purely technical matter—fall under the statutory definition of an ‘advisory committee or subcommittee,’ the purpose and subsequent operation of the Phase II Team does,” prosecutors wrote.
The disagreement centers on the Governing Board’s involvement in the team’s creation and whether its work served the board or district administrators.
Osipov said the superintendent formed the team to conduct an analysis for the administration. She said it was not charged with making recommendations to the Governing Board regarding repurposing, consolidating, or closing schools.
“The team’s work was intended to inform the administration’s development of options for Governing Board consideration,” she wrote.
MCAO’s Sept. 16 letter said the board discussed creating an advisory body during 2025 and considered the issue Jan. 6, 2026. Although the board declined to amend its policy to establish a standing advisory board, prosecutors said the superintendent subsequently created the Phase II team and tasked it with making recommendations to the board.
“The timing of these events suggests the Governing Board’s implicit direction to the superintendent to create an advisory board for the purpose of advising the Governing Board,” the letter states.
Prosecutors described the team as the board’s “brainchild” and said its recommendations concerned matters the board would vote on.
Osipov challenged MCAO’s interpretation, saying portions of the Sept. 16 letter conflicted with opinions issued by the Arizona Attorney General’s Office. She also said SUSD posted materials after each meeting to support transparency.
The amended Attorney General Opinion, issued June 23, 2025, explains that a superintendent-created committee does not automatically become subject to Open Meeting Law because its work leads to recommendations reaching the board.
The opinion says the law typically does not apply when the superintendent develops a proposal without board direction or other close involvement. It also cautions that a governing board cannot evade public meeting requirements by informally establishing a committee or directing a superintendent to establish one. A committee’s subsequent work can become subject to the law when the board tasks it with developing policy recommendations.
MCAO’s Sept. 16 letter relied on its assessment of the board’s involvement and the team’s function. It recommended that SUSD avoid an overly narrow interpretation of the law when determining whether future advisory bodies must hold public meetings.
Prosecutors also cited A.R.S. § 38-431.09, which directs those interpreting Arizona’s Open Meeting Law to favor open and public meetings.
The complaint was initially submitted to Attorney General Kris Mayes’ office, which referred it to MCAO July 17 after citing a conflict of interest. The complaint concerned public access to the advisory team’s meetings.
Bengert has also raised broader concerns about district leadership and public participation, criticizing SUSD’s academic outcomes, enrollment losses, and financial management while questioning whether its governing board provided sufficient scrutiny of Superintendent Scott Menzel’s administration. He argued that parents and residents needed opportunities to hear opposing views on district policies and decisions.
Bengert has asked MCAO to respond publicly to SUSD’s characterization of the investigation. In correspondence shared with AZ Free News, he disputed Osipov’s statements and asked the county attorney’s office to clarify its findings directly to the district.
An MCAO spokesperson said the office was reviewing additional questions and checking whether other correspondence existed.
AZ Free News requested additional comment from Scottsdale Unified School District and General Counsel Renee Osipov regarding the county attorney’s findings and the district’s characterization of the investigation. Neither had responded to those inquiries by the time of publication.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Staff Reporter | Oct 5, 2026 | Education, News
By Staff Reporter |
A former leader of a fraternity at Northern Arizona University (NAU) will serve two months in jail for the hazing that resulted in the death of a pledge earlier this year.
Coconino County Superior Court sentenced Carter Thomas Eslick, 20, to two months in jail and three years of supervised probation on Wednesday.
Conditions of his probation include creating and delivering 305 anti-hazing presentations, and maintaining sobriety.
That amount of jail time is a fraction of the mitigated sentencing attached to the charge Eslick originally faced.
Eslick was indicted for felony hazing in March, a class four offense which carries a sentence range of one to nearly four years in prison. Eslick had originally pleaded not guilty to the charge but later amended his plea to guilty in August as part of a plea deal which left jail time up to the court’s discretion.
Eslick was the new member educator, or pledge master, for the Theta Omega chapter of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity at NAU. In that role, Eslick oversaw the activities that resulted in the alcohol poisoning that killed 18-year-old Colin Daniel Martinez on Jan. 31, 2026.
Martinez and three fellow Delta Tau Delta pledges were forced to consume vodka until they vomited as part of a “Spring Rush ’26” party at an off-campus Delta Tau Delta house. “Rush” refers to the fraternity recruitment process for new members.
Records reflect that Martinez was choking and gagging in his sleep, and that nobody present at the house called emergency services for nearly six hours.
Martinez had a blood alcohol level of 0.425%. Any level over 0.40% is considered potentially fatal, while levels from 0.30% to 0.40% are considered alcohol poisoning and potentially life threatening. The legal limit for driving in Arizona is 0.08%. An autopsy confirmed Martinez died from alcohol poisoning.
In addition to Eslick, fellow Delta Tau Delta chapter leaders Ryan Wiley Creech and Riley Michael Cass, both 20, were arrested. Neither Creech nor Cass were indicted; court records reflect that both of their cases were closed within days of their arrests.
The national Delta Tau Delta organization closed the NAU chapter following Martinez’s death.
Martinez’s father, Chris Martinez, told the court during sentencing that his son died for a lack of courage among the young men present that night in January.
“Courage. I use this word courage because that’s what’s required when fear, self-protection, or group loyalty or convenience tempt us to inaction instead of doing what another human being desperately needs us to do. What my son needed that night,” said Chris. “Courage that night would have meant stopping what was happening. Courage would have meant recognizing that a fraternity ritual was never more important than a human life.”
Martinez graduated from the Arizona Conservatory for Arts & Academics last May. Martinez planned to major in hotel and restaurant management at NAU, like his father. In an Instagram post, Martinez said he enjoyed photography, watching movies and sports, playing music, and collecting vinyls. Martinez also had an affection for animals, especially his pets.
Martinez is survived by his parents, Chris and Lindsey, and two sisters, Caitlyn and Malena.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Oct 4, 2026 | Education, News
By Staff Reporter |
An Arizona State University (ASU) student who inspired Tempe to create a police oversight board is facing criminal charges for attacking an officer.
Tempe police arrested ASU student Eryn Bonner in July after she refused to comply with law enforcement and charged at the officers arresting two males that she knew.
After officers twice pushed Bonner away for refusing to comply with orders to “back up,” Bonner confronted an officer who had twice pushed her away, striking him multiple times in the head and attempting to kick him away as he worked to arrest her.
Body camera footage showed the arresting officer punch Bonner once in the face to subdue her after Bonner punched him multiple times; five or six strikes and some scratching, by Tempe police’s account in court records. Benjamin Taylor, a civil rights attorney representing Bonner, disputed Bonner’s violence and has claimed to the public and city officials that Bonner was punched more than once as well as “groped” by the officer.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell declined to bring felony charges of resisting arrest and aggravated assault against Bonner.
Now, Bonner faces two misdemeanor charges in Tempe Municipal Court: disorderly conduct classified as fighting and hindering/interfering with police.
Taylor said in a statement responding to these latest charges against his client that Bonner was the victim of political prosecution. Taylor claimed to the Phoenix New Times that the city police union was pressuring the city to charge his client.
“Instead of showing accountability and transparency — accountability to their officers for their wrongdoing and transparency to the community — what they’re trying to do is cover up for the wrongdoing of their officers,” said Taylor. “It has the smellings of politics behind it when you have charges brought two months later after the county attorney decided not to bring charges. It’s very political and is basically to avoid potential civil liability and to try to cover up for their officers’ wrongdoing.”
Taylor also said that Bonner suffered “emotional trauma” in addition to physical injuries, and claimed officials were “victimizing the victim.”
According to court records, Bonner has also racked up four speeding tickets across March, April, and July. The first ticket from March also came with charges of using a cell phone while driving; the speeding portion of the charges was dropped.
Bonner’s arrest prompted the Tempe City Council to launch the Public Safety and Community Oversight Council Subcommittee, an exploratory body to discuss the creation of a police oversight board.
Taylor, a recent president of the State Bar of Arizona, has appeared before the subcommittee. Taylor addressed the subcommittee during its most recent meeting on Tuesday, claiming Bonner’s arresting officer inappropriately touched and committed excessive use of force against his client.
Shoving and punching qualify as permitted uses of force under certain circumstances to maintain control of a scene and make arrests.
Taylor also questioned the appropriateness of Tempe police appointing Sergeant Kevin Ameiss to oversee the internal affairs investigation into Bonner’s case, citing Ameiss’s 2020 suspension for his oversight of the Trevonyae Cumpian case. Ameiss was in a supervisory role for an officer who held a Black hotel worker at gunpoint while in pursuit of an armed white male suspect.
A pre-trial conference for the disorderly conduct and police interference charges is scheduled in Bonner’s case for Nov. 4, 2026.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
