A former high school teacher from Phoenix has been indicted on serious charges involving child sex crimes after a grand jury reviewed the case. Eric Chapman, aged 43, who taught at Cortez High School and also served as a coach, faces 20 felony charges which include sexual conduct with a minor and sexual exploitation of a minor, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix.
The Maricopa County Attorney's Office informed that Chapman is accused of recording sexual interactions with minors, these incidents allegedly took place on school property, which includes classrooms and the locker room, as well as in his personal vehicle; a former student was also among the alleged victims, during this timeline stretching between 2020 and early April 2025, according to information released by AZFamily.com.
Law enforcement officers have identified two current students, ages 16 and 17, as victims in this distressing case. Further investigation led to the discovery of explicit material on Chapman's phone and computer, which has landed him in jail under a $250,000 cash bond, a steep figure reflecting the gravity of the charges.
During a deeper dive into the electronic evidence, investigators unearthed a substantial amount of child sexual abuse material; Chapman reportedly confessed to downloading hundreds of illegal images and videos from the dark web, he also admitted that he maintained the majority of these files on his home computer - this grim revelation emerged through court documents. In response to the indictments, Chapman has been removed from his positions at the school, the Glendale Union High School District confirmed that he's been "relieved of all duties" and is no longer on the school's website where he was listed as a TV and film teacher and baseball coach.
As the case develops, Chapman remains in custody with his bond holding firm, a consequence of the allegations that have rocked the Cortez High School community and spurred conversations about the safety and vulnerability of minors in educational settings.
