A Scottsdale kindergarten community is reeling after police arrested a Pueblo Elementary School teacher on a child exploitation charge, following the discovery of alleged child sexual abuse material on an electronic device, according to Scottsdale police.
The suspect, 30-year-old Diego Florentine Franco Ontamucha, was taken into custody at his Mesa home on April 28. He is being held on one count of sexual exploitation of a minor. Scottsdale Unified School District notified families that he has been removed from duty and will not return to any SUSD school.
Investigators with the Scottsdale Police Department’s Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit say they recovered allegedly illicit files while executing the arrest. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, police stressed that there is currently no evidence that any Pueblo Elementary students were involved.
The staff roster at Pueblo Elementary identifies Franco Ontamucha as a dual-language Spanish teacher at the school. He is listed among current faculty on Pueblo Elementary's staff page.
Parents did not mince words as news of the arrest spread. One parent told FOX 10 Phoenix, "I'm absolutely enraged," while the district’s letter to families said Mr. Franco was "immediately removed from duty" and again noted that there is no reason to believe any students were involved at this time.
Investigation Continues As District Coordinates With Police
Scottsdale police say detectives are still combing through devices and working to determine whether additional evidence exists. Officers executed the arrest at a residence in Mesa as part of that ongoing investigation.
Scottsdale Unified told families it has reported the matter to Scottsdale Police and to the State Board of Education’s Investigative Unit. The district reiterated in its communication that student safety remains its top priority and said it will continue to share updates as officials release more information.
Legal Implications
Franco Ontamucha is accused of one count of sexual exploitation of a minor under Arizona law. Under A.R.S. 13-3553, sexual exploitation of a minor is a felony offense that can carry substantial prison time and mandatory sex offender registration if a defendant is convicted.
For now, the charge remains an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent in court. Case scheduling and any additional filings will be handled by Maricopa County prosecutors and the courts as the investigation moves forward. Scottsdale police have asked anyone with tips to contact the department, and the district says it will keep families informed as the case develops.
