A Phoenix man is in custody after police say he tried to lure teenagers near Sunnyslope High School on back-to-back mornings this week. Court documents identify the suspect as Lavotric Jicole Newell and state that he approached two different minors in the area over two days. One student captured audio of an encounter, and another snapped a photo that helped officers track him down.
According to 12 News, court records say Newell first came up to a minor just before 7 a.m. on Wednesday, then contacted a second teen the following day. The outlet reports that Newell followed one of the teens to a friend’s house and used graphic sexual language while propositioning both students.
What luring a minor means under Arizona law
Under Arizona law, luring a minor for sexual exploitation means offering or asking for sexual conduct while knowing, or having reason to know, that the other person is underage. It is a class 3 felony with significant prison exposure and mandatory sex offender registration. The statute also imposes tougher consequences when victims are younger and sharply limits options for early release, according to the Arizona Revised Statutes.
School and police response
After one student reported the encounter, a school resource officer was alerted. One of the teens told that officer the suspect said he had just gotten out of prison and that he “didn’t care” the teen was underage, 12 News reports. Police later located and arrested Newell. Court documents state he was booked on suspicion of luring a minor for sexual exploitation and remains jailed while investigators and prosecutors continue reviewing the case.
What parents should do
Parents worried about student safety are urged to report suspicious behavior right away and to remind kids not to leave with or engage closely with people they do not know. The City of Phoenix lists a non-emergency Crime Stop line and online tools for submitting tips and follow-up reports; see the City of Phoenix website for those police resources.
Anyone with information about the reported encounters can share tips anonymously with Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS or through its online portal. This story will be updated as additional court records and official statements are released.
