A former charter school teacher was sentenced to five years in prison and a lifetime of probation Monday in Pima County Superior Court.
Aaron Montoya, 31, was indicted in July 2010 on three counts of sexual conduct with a minor and pleaded guilty to two of those counts last month.
Montoya's now former wife called police after she caught him with a 14-year-old girl at their home, according to court records. The girl told police she'd had sex with Montoya at a hotel three or four times and once at his house.
Montoya taught the girl at Allsport Academy, 6211 E. Speedway, a charter school run by his father.
His father fired him.
Deputy Pima County Attorney Michelle Chamblee asked Judge Jose Robles to impose a 10-year sentence, plus lifetime probation, but Assistant Pima County Public Defender Michael Mussman asked for the five-year sentence plus probation.
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Mussman told the judge he thought prosecutors were being too harsh with his client, noting defendants charged with worse sex crimes have received similar plea agreements. In arguing for the mitigated sentence, he noted Montoya has no other felony convictions, has the support of many in the community, including his former wife, confessed immediately and will never be able to teach again.
Montoya must register as a sex offender and will be required to abide by special rules for sex offenders while on probation.
On StarNet: Follow the news and events at Pima County's courthouses in Kim Smith's blog, At the Courthouse, at go.azstarnet.com/courthouse
Contact reporter Kim Smith at 573-4241 or kimsmith@azstarnet.com
