A late-night shift at a Phoenix Taco Bell turned into a criminal case after a teenage employee told police a repeat customer groped her, then came back a week later and threatened to kidnap her. Court documents say the alleged encounters happened on April 14 and April 21, and that the girl told the man she was a minor during the first incident.
According to the filings, the teen later snapped a photo of the customer’s license plate when he returned to the drive-through. Investigators reviewed that image along with surveillance video and took the suspect into custody on April 22, the records state.
As reported by 12News, the man named in the case is Ariel Yair Zelaya-Zuniga. He was booked on counts that include enticing a minor and resisting arrest, the outlet reported. Prosecutors cited the restaurant’s surveillance footage and the teen’s license plate photo in their probable-cause statement, according to the station.
Court records outline two encounters
Court documents describe the first incident on April 14, when Zelaya-Zuniga allegedly walked into the restaurant, grabbed the teen by the hips and tried to kiss her neck. The girl told officers she identified herself as underage and then gave him a fake time for when her shift would end in an effort to get him to leave, according to the records.
A week later, on April 21, the same man reportedly returned, this time through the drive-through lane. The filings say he again asked when she was getting off work and then told her in Spanish that he planned to kidnap her.
Charges and legal implications
Arizona law treats attempts to lure or entice minors as serious felonies. Luring or enticing a minor for sexual exploitation is classified as a felony under Arizona’s A.R.S. § 13-3554, according to Justia. Resisting arrest is addressed in A.R.S. § 13-2508, outlined by the Arizona Legislature.
A conviction for luring a minor can also trigger mandatory sex-offender registration and related long-term restrictions, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
How the case moved forward
Investigators say the teen’s quick thinking with that license plate photo helped them track down the suspect. Police arrested Zelaya-Zuniga after matching the plate to a vehicle and reviewing Taco Bell’s surveillance video, 12News reported.
The outlet also noted that Zelaya-Zuniga allegedly resisted officers during the arrest, which is listed as an additional charge in court records. Details about bail, initial appearance or arraignment were not included in the public filing reviewed by reporters.
What to watch next
The case is expected to move through Maricopa County’s court system, where arraignment and preliminary-hearing dates will be posted on the public docket. Prosecutors will decide whether to pursue the luring charge as filed and whether any additional counts will be added as the investigation continues and victim advocates stay involved in the process.
