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2 local school staffers in sex predator cases BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor
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@AhwatukeeFN |
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ust as one case involving a former Ahwatukee private school teacher preying on a minor student for sex moved to a close in court last week, a new case emerged involving a Mountain Pointe High classified employee and a 17-year-old student. Justin Walters, 31, of Tempe, a former teacher at Desert Garden Montessori School in Ahwatukee, pleaded guilty on April 19 to three felony counts involving a nearly five-month
series of sexual encounters with a student that began when she was 15 in 2019. Walters will be formally sentenced the day before Memorial Day weekend, May 27. As part of his plea agreement, he must serve at least three and as many as five years in prison, be on lifetime probation and register as a sex offender. He had faced 10 criminal counts and the three charges he pleaded to alone carried a maximum of more than 38 years behind bars. The day before Walters’ guilty plea, Mountain High Principal Tomika Banks told parents a teacher had been arrested by Phoenix Police
Free meals face curbs in Kyrene, Tempe Union BY PAUL MARYNIAK AND KEN SAIN AFN News Staff
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he universal free meals that Kyrene and Tempe Union have been providing to their students for two years could end this summer, as it could end for virtually all schools. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) apparently told fellow Republicans the program was never intended to be permanent and many Senate Republicans object to the $11 billion annual price tag as the federal deficit continues to grow, according to reports in salon.com, Politico and other news sites. Republicans want schools to return to pre-pandemic operation
for “inappropriate interaction with a student.” Phoenix Police and Maricopa County Superior Court records show that Mohamed El Nounw, 32, was arrested at his South Phoenix home April 7 on four felony counts of sexual abuse for a “relationship” that involved several incidents of indecent physical contact with the student at school since last September. He is free on bond following his arraignment April 12 in Kyrene Justice Court. He was suspended from his job April 7 in a letter from Dr.
see PREDATORS page 6
Profile in courage
that provided free lunches – and in many cases, breakfasts – only to kids whose families met federal guidelines for low-income recipients, according to those reports. Communications directors for both Tempe Union and Kyrene said last week their districts are poised to return to the pre-COVID proofof-need requirements for free or reduced-price meals. “When the waivers expire June 30, Tempe Union High School District will have to return to pre-pandemic rules,” Tempe Union spokeswoman Megan Sterling said. “Families will need to complete paperwork to qualify for free or reduced-price meals and students
Ahwatukee resident and Brophy College Prep senior Adonis Watt received the Shaw Courage Award April 23 from the National Football Foundation for playing for the school’s football team even though he is blind. He was one of 23 senior high school football players honored at the event, where MC and sports broadcaster Brad Cesmat is seen here interviewing Adonis while Deer Valley senior Ashton Hill looks on. see LUNCHES page 4 For the story, see page 32. (David Minton/AFN Staff Photographer)
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